Episode 2449: Jerry Blavat ~ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Tribute to Broadcast Icon "The Geator" , You Only Rock Once!!

Building Abundant Success!!© with Sabrina-Marie

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
A Tribute to My Guest This Week ~ Broadcast Radio Icon Jerry Blavat.
He began his career as a 13 year old on the TV show Bandstand.Jerry is in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame & After over 50 years in broadcasting, STILL Rock Out Weekly on WVLT, online & at LIVE shows! In 1960, he started his own radio talk show on WCAM (AM), in Camden, New Jersey. (He won the show in a crap game). On a snowy night in mid January, pulling out a stack of records, he began entertaining listeners throughout the night, and the legend of "The Geator" was born. In the mid-sixties, reports had his audience at a half million teenagers per month. Much of Jerry's broadcasts in the early days were done on reel to reel tape. Recording the program in his garage studio, the tapes played while Blavat made personal appearances. In the mid-sixties, Jerry's broadcasts were also added for a time to the program schedule of WHAT. On that station, Blavat stated that he only made $18 a week ($1.50 per hour). Most of his audience didn't buy it, but it was true. The real money was at the hops, not on the air. However, Blavat knew he needed the airwaves to promote the appearances. In 1965, he produced and hosted his own TV show "The Discophonic Scene" on CBS' Philadelphia outlet WCAU-TV. From 1967-70, the show aired on WFIL-TV, Channel Six and was syndicated through Triangle Publications coast-to-coast in 40 markets. When the British Invasion came along, Jerry never became part of it. He didn't like format radio, never participated in it and has always been his own man. In 1966, Jerry said: "It had been hell during the Beatles reign, when there had been much pressure to get on the bandwagon. But I sensed that it just didn't have enough soul for my kids... So I finally gave in and played a few, and I got bombarded by phone calls saying 'Geator, what you doing, man?'"
In April of 1972 he became one of the first on-air personalities on WCAU-FM, an oldies station. In 1987, Blavat moved to "Philly Gold Radio," WPGR. It became "Geator Gold Radio" in April of 1992 when Blavat purchased the station. Until this day, Jerry is seen on many local and national TV shows. He has been with PBS on their Doo Wop specials working with the show's producer, T. J. Lubinsky. When the shows aired locally over WHYY-TV, Jerry Blavat was the area's host. Throughout his career, Jerry has appeared on "The Tonight Show," "The Mike Douglas Show," "The Joey Bishop Show," "The Mod Squad," and "The Monkees." Jerry Blavat has appeared in feature films including "Desperately Seeking Susan," "Baby, It's You," and "Cookie."
After WPGR, the Geator then built studios in Center City. He currently broadcasts his Cruisin' 92.1, WVLT. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall of Fame". He still owns his own nightclub called Memories in Margate, NJ He works at various clubs most nights & has a show yearly at the Kimmel Center. While many refer to James Brown as "the hardest working man in show business," the title should belong to Jerry Blavat, who said many years ago: "I may not be the best jock in the world, but I've got my own built-in excitement meter.
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