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Legendary Philadelphia rock ‘n’ roll DJ Pierre Robert has died.
The 70-year-old on-air personality with WMMR was found dead at his home on Wednesday morning, before his regular afternoon DJ shift. A cause has not been given. Foul play is not suspected.
Robert had been on the air in Philadelphia for 44 years, all of them at WMMR. He has become one of the most recognized voices in this region.
In 2019, he was given a star in Philadelphia’s Walk of Fame along South Broad Street.
WMMR’s parent company Beasley Media Group called Robert “the heart and soul of WMMR.”
“Pierre’s unwavering love for music and his deep connection with listeners made him one of radio’s most enduring and beloved voices,” said Caroline Beasley, CEO of BMG. “He will be greatly missed.”
In 1981, Pierre left a radio job in San Francisco, bound for Philadelphia with no promise of a job and whatever he could fit into a Volkswagen van. He eventually landed a gig in the music library of WMMR, before graduating to DJing.
He reportedly interviewed for the job at WMMR during a concert by Philadelphia band The Hooters. They became one of his favorites, forming a bond with its members that lasted over four decades.
“Doing what I do and what the band does, we meet so many different personalities in radio, but I never met a DJ like him,” said Hooters drummer David Uosikkinen. “We got so close. We vacationed once together.”
WHYY radio host Jennifer Lynn with Pierre Robert in 2023. (Courtesy Jennifer Lynn)
Uosikkinen recalled a trip to Robert’s vacation home on Lake Tahoe, California, which was where a scene from Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather II” was filmed. Robert took Uosikkinen out on a boat to the place where the character Fredo Corleone was executed.
“Pierre said, ‘Look up,’ and here I was sitting right where Fredo was fishing when he took one in the head,” he said. “He was such a thoughtful human being. He knew how much I loved that film.”
On the air, Robert was known for his warmth, positivity and for honesty: If there was a reason to be excited or saddened, it showed in his voice.
“That’s why people love him so much because it was authentic. He was transparent about himself,” Uosikkinen said. “He let it hang out, basically, no other way to put it.”
