Pierre Robert, a constant presence on Philadelphia rock radio for over 40 years, has died at the age of 70.
His death was confirmed on Wednesday (Oct. 29) by Beasley Media Group and 93.3 WMMR, where he developed an indelible bond with the station’s listeners and the city across his 44-year run at the heritage rock station.
Robert (pronounced Ro-Bear) arrived at WMMR in 1981 after a stint at the legendary San Francisco progressive station KSAN-FM. After doing a variety of things at WMMR, he eventually anchored middays at the radio station from around 11am until 3pm. The start time and end time fluctuated, something that famously became known as “Pierre Standard Time.” His legendary struggle to be punctual was just one element of his personality that made him a very real and relatable person who was easy to connect and identify with as a fan. He deepened that bond, calling them “good citizens” and one of his signatures was to welcome listeners to his radio show, opening his conversational breaks by saying, “Greetings, citizens.”
Bryan Adams and Jon Bon Jovi Pay Tribute to Pierre Robert
Bryan Adams, who was in town on Wednesday evening for a concert at the Xfinity Mobile Arena shared his “deep condolences” to Robert’s family and noted that he was due to talk to Robert for an interview on Zoom prior to his show that night and learned of the DJ’s passing after he didn’t show up for the scheduled conversation. He then dedicated the night’s performance of “Heaven” to the legend.
Robert also had a long connection with Jon Bon Jovi, who he identified as the most famous person in his cell phone address book during a 2011 interview. And indeed, the Jersey rocker was one of the first to share a lengthy tribute to his friend on social media as news of his passing began to circulate.
“This man was as curious as he was clever, he was a real musicologist,” Bon Jovi explained. “He knew your influence and your influences. He was a loyal friend. He didn’t care if you were the fad or the fashion of the moment. He just cared. And that mattered.”
The Hooters, local Philly legends themselves, were another Robert favorite and among his earliest memories of his long-running friendship with the band, high on the list was a 1984 contest where fans could register for the chance to have the group play their local high school. He said in a 2022 interview that the promotion was so successful, that it established a pattern where they played concerts at other high schools. But the response to the initial opportunity was massive, necessitating the rental of a warehouse to store the 26 million postcards that had been received. New Jersey’s Shawnee High School won that particular round with three million submissions.
“There are no words for what we are feeling right now, only despair. Pierre Robert, you are the original ‘good citizen,’ you are irreplaceable,” the band wrote on social media. “There is the brightest star shining in the heavens right now. You will be missed like no other. We love you, Rest in Rock ’n’ Roll.”
The Hooters friendship found him traveling to other areas for gigs with the band and even, at times, overseas. Appropriately, he’d just seen the group perform during their two-night stand last weekend at the area’s Keswick Theatre.
He Still Loved New Music
Naturally, Robert had his classic favorites, but he also stayed in tune with what was happening with music. Among the bands he championed were Mammoth, Nothing More, Rival Sons, the Struts and longtime connections like Papa Roach and Shinedown. Zach Myers, from the latter, shared his own emotional tribute, which you can see below.
Getting in the Mosh Pit With Green Day
The Killers and Green Day were also big favorites and as he remembered in that same 2022 interview, the Bay Area punks — and one of his own fans, were all it took to lure him into the pit. He ended up being more than just a spectator in that setting. “I was in there—and the guy standing next to me said, ‘Pierre?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘Do you want to go up?’ He meant, did I want to crowd-surf? I waited and waited, and I thought about it,” he detailed. “Finally, I said, ‘What the hell?’ He and a friend lifted my significant carcass up and passed me along. When I reached the front, the security guys saw me and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m having fun!’
He Hadn’t Played Guns N’ Roses on the Radio since 2002
One example of his fierce loyalty for the fans was his refusal to play Guns N’ Roses on the radio for more than 20 years, a streak which connected back to the band’s tumultuous date at the First Union Center on Dec. 6, 2002. It had been a tough tour, with frontman Axl Rose’s trademark lateness in full effect, among many other issues. Things came to a head on the first of two nights in Philly and the no-show of the band in the 11pm hour due to “health issues” caused a riot and the rest of the trek was quickly scuttled.
“Axl Rose has never really apologized for that. What they should have done was own it and come back and play a free show,” he explained in 2021. “But they didn’t. So I won’t play their music. I’d love to interview Axl about it. My terrain is littered with potholes of my various f–kups over the years, but I cop to my own s–t, and that’s what you have to do.”
READ MORE: When a Philadelphia Riot Ended Guns N’ Roses Tour Early
Robert’s Love of Live Music Helped Spawn a Separate Radio Show
Putting the GNR drama to the side, one thing that quickly becomes clear is that Robert was an avid fan of going to concerts. He set the bar high early on, attending high profile gigs like 1985’s Live Aid. But subsequent shows like his 1994 Green Day experience weren’t an isolated thing. He’d continued to hit the clubs, arenas and anywhere that had a stage with live music. In addition to the previously mentioned Hooters gig this month, he had been spotted at plenty of other area concerts, including Coheed and Cambria earlier in the summer.
So it makes sense that he’d be a good host for a radio show about live music. longtime WRIF-FM air personality Steve Black had an idea for a program in that vein. “[Radio programmer] Buzz Knight recommended Pierre to me saying ‘Nobody had seen more live shows or embodied the concert-going experience than Pierre,'” he tells UCR. “After I flew to Philly and met with him, I knew he was correct.”
Classic Rock Live launched in November 2010 in collaboration with Envision Radio Networks and Black says the whole experience of working with Pierre was magic. “I have programmed, written and produced every episode over these past 15 years,” he shares. “My favorite thing was always writing something and sending it over and after Pierre recorded it, it magically raised it up a level or two.”
“If I thought it was good, it came back great. If I thought I had something special it came back as something that gave me goosebumps,” Black continues. “He even made me shed a tear or two, listening to him recount being at Live Aid or watching Prince play with Tom Petty at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — while standing 20 feet from Mick Jagger. He made me always feel like his equal. I aspired to be as free and knowledgeable as Pierre — his talent was my benchmark, yet he often turned it back to tell me how much he learned from me.”
WMMR Went Old School for Their Tribute to Robert
As the news of Robert’s death began to circulate on Wednesday, it hit hard, understandably. “This is a hard day for the city of Philadelphia,” one of the station’s DJs said on the air. It’s the kind of sentiment that a city usually reserves for a departed athlete, but the radio legend had that type of hold on the collective emotions of Philly — even if ironically, he was not a sports fan.
While they went jockless for the entirety of Robert’s usual shift, they began fully sharing the loss with their listeners once afternoon DJ Brent Porche came on the air. He brought in a mix of staff members and fellow air personalities who detailed that Pierre had been a friend, co-worker, father figure and mentor. He was, as they shared, the same personality when the microphones went off that he was when he was live and talking with the listeners.
“Luckily I get to see him a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, my father passed away about a month ago, and in Pierre fashion, he was the very last person at the event,” his former producer, Chris “Pancake” Ashcraft shared during Porche’s show. “He spent as much time as he possibly could with me to the point where the people at the funeral home were wrapping it up and closing everything.” Just like the experience of how a night at a concert with Robert would stretch past closing time at the venues, his co-workers added.
They spent the afternoon and evening playing through songs by many of Robert’s favorite artists. The poignant “Sunshower” by Chris Cornell, “Land of Hope and Dreams” by Bruce Springsteen and two from Neil Young, another Pierre staple, with “Heart of Gold” sent out as a dedication to their beloved co-worker. Known for his love for the Grateful Dead and another famous Pierre saying, “God Bless the Grateful Dead,” they played an old piece of audio from the band’s Bob Weir, who said, “Hi, it’s Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and it’s time to say ‘God bless Pierre Robert.'”
In an official statement from the station, they highlighted his generosity. “Pierre was actively involved in numerous charitable initiatives, including the AIDS Walk and Manna’s Pie in the Sky fundraiser, consistently using his platform to support causes close to his heart,” they wrote.
“We all have heavy hearts today,” Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley expressed. “Pierre’s unwavering love for music and his deep connection with listeners made him one of radio’s most enduring and beloved voices. He will be greatly missed.”
Watch WMMR’s Preston and Steve Pay Tribute to Pierre Robert
Watch Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Perform ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’
Watch Pierre Robert’s 2015 Induction into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff