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Pioneering DJ Art Laboe' s oldies show will continue after his death
Art Laboe in 2018. Photo: Russell Contreras/Axios The syndicated radio show led by the late Art Laboe, a pioneering DJ who read song dedications to generations of loyal listeners, will live on. Driving the news: Joanna Morones, a spokesperson for Laboe's production company, Dart Entertainment, tells Axios that 14 radio stations in California and Arizona have committed to continue to air his syndicated show. Dart Entertainment will also use recordings of Laboe's oral histories of songs and occasional on-air dedications, Morones said. Laboe's co-host, Old School Becky Loo, will read dedications over the air and host the show. She had been co-hosting with Laboe in recent months. "We will keep going as long as we have listeners," Morones said. died on Oct. 7 after developing pneumonia. He was 97.Laboe had been on the air for nearly and was one of California's first DJs to play R&B and rock 'n' roll.Laboe is credited with helping end segregation in Southern California by organizing live DJ shows at drive-in eateries that attracted white, Black and Latino listeners who danced to rock 'n' roll. He maintained an avid following among Mexican Americans in California and served as a communication vehicle for families with loved ones in prison. What's next: will air on stations like and on Sunday nights from 6 pm to midnight PT. Listeners can also stream his show online and through various apps. Morones said the production company is preparing to sell new Laboe merchandise to keep his memory alive.