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Goodbye to Mr.Street Beat, Armand In The Morning.

C

cyber

Guest
Armand hosted the "Street Beat" show on WPGR, 1989-1995. He collapsed and passed away suddenly yesterday. He was one of the few Doo Wop jocks in the area and one of the best. His enthusiasm and sense of fun were beyond compare. It's beyond sad when someone this real is gone.
 
Had he been on the radio recently? If I'm not mistaken his last show was on WRDV. So far as I know he left there to go work in a toll booth. Later on, Doc, the host who had Armand's old time slot on WRDV collapsed and died on the air while doing his show at the radio station. I think the last song he played was "Don't Leave Me" by The Magnificents.
 
I had posted a querry for him in the "Where are they now" board some time ago, but no one replied. What a shock! I've trying to get in touch with him to say hello. I had some "Venditti" quality wideband air-checks of his morning show on WPGR I wanted to send. I am very saddened.

Jerry's got it right when he says: "Keep on rockin', cause you only rock once".
 
His last radio show was on WRDV and he did leave to work for the Turnpike. It's always tough to lose one of the genuine good guys, not just in the business but in all aspects of life.
 
I had the pleasure of meeting Armand at a Harvey Holiday dance back in the early nineties; he was indeed a real gentleman. Rest in peace.
 
I wonder if there will be any kind of write up about him in the paper. He was pretty much an unknown unless you are into rare oldies or are a radio geek.

Also, can we confirm or deny that he actually passed away? I have seen stuff like this before. I read that Ernest Borgnine passed away about five years ago. Last month he was featured live on a cable TV interview talking about McHale's Navy shorty after turning 90.
 
The way things are reported these days I can't blame anyone for being skeptical. But the unfortunate truth is he really did pass away Wednesday. Until funeral arrangements are complete no release will be sent to the columnists.
 
I just found a box of nine cassette tapes that someone made for me off of a couple of hi-fi VCR tapes a long time ago of the entire last day of WPGR. (Someone had too much time on their hands)

I haven't listened to it in years, but I remember during the last few minutes of Armand's show on WPGR, The Geator walked in and started talking to him on air. By listening, one could tell that Armand was starting to get choked up about the radio station. The Geator then said something about...I'm going to the mob, I'm going to the mob you dirty dog! That was a great moment in Philly radio.

Armand started laughing on the air, but someone I know who was there said that Armand walked out of the station when his show was over and those two never spoke again. Obviously I can't confirm or deny that story, but some of the insiders have said that there was a lot of hatred at that radio station.

I wish I had a way to upload that tape to the net, but I don't. Somewhere packed away I have more hi-fi VCR tapes of both that radio station and his Streetbeat Show.
 
I followed on air after Armand during his run at WRDV and he was always a gentleman. I was sorry to see him leave at the time. He was always professional.

I never forgot a time when he had stopped to change a flat on his Crown Vic and left his box of 45's along the road. He was sick about it and faked his show that day with a few CD's he got. No one knew. He got a call from someone who found the box of 45's and returned them by the following Sunday.
 
As I remember, he replaced either Harvey Holiday or Tommy McCarthy in morning drive at WPGR when they left for WOGL. Wasn't he a mail carrier before going to PGR? Did he ever work in radio before that - you'd never know if he didn't, he had a great style on the air.
 
From phillymemories.tripod.com:

1540 WNWR
Current Format: Ethnic
Ownership: Global Radio
Web Address: www. wnwr.com
In 1947, 1540 signed on the air as WJMJ with a religious format (the calls standing for Jesus, Mary, Joseph). In 1965, greeting card company Russ Craft, owners of WRCP-FM, bought the station and changed the call letters to WRCP, playing a MOR format until changing to Modern Country in Sept. 1967 with the FM station simulcasting the AM. WRCP played a country format for 14 years, when in 1981, they switched to oldies. [EDIT]

[EDIT-content appears to be copyrighted and has been truncated as a result. Unauthorized use of copyrighted material is in violation of our terms of service]
 
I worked with Armand at WPGR from 1992-1994. He was instrumental in helping me kickstart my radio career, and I will always be grateful to him for the help and support he gave me. He was truly one of the most awesome people I have ever met (especially in radio), in addition to being great on the air.

Rest in peace my friend. You will be missed.
 
I just found out yesterday about the Passing of Armand in the Morning. Armand and I had a ton of fun working together while he worked at WPGR. It made doing traffic fun. I'll miss him. My best to his family.

John Brown
 
Hey John,

Would you please explain the significance of Frankie "ARvalon" and tell the story about the Officer? It was Officer (Somebody) and a running joke but I forget the details.

Thanks
 
I forget the Frankie ARvalon story but I do remember the Police office story. I forget his name but he was a Sgt. at the Prison on State Road. Armand and I were invited to be part of a line-up and have our pictures taken. When it was all done Armand and I were about ready to leave when this big ol' Sgt. grabbed my arm and said "where do you think you're going"? Armand was in on the joke and said the look on my face was priceless. :eek: This was a source of entertainment for Armand for the next several months.

Just one of the many cool stories about Armand and I having some fun.

John
 
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