21 Facts About Art Laboe

Art Laboe was generally credited with coining the term "Oldies but Goodies".

Art Laboe's parents were Armenian immigrants and observant Mormons; his father, John, came to the United States from the Ottoman Empire.

Art Laboe attended George Washington High School and in 1938 began to experiment with amateur radio from his bedroom.

Art Laboe was stationed at Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.

Art Laboe made his professional radio debut in 1943 on KSAN in San Francisco, while stationed at Treasure Island.

Art Laboe obtained the job because he had a first-class radiotelephone license and the station had been depleted of staff in order to meet wartime demands.

Art Laboe had to repeat his callers' comments into the microphone.

Art Laboe returned to Southern California, obtaining work at KCMJ in Palm Springs.

Art Laboe acquired the nickname "As Long as Art Laboe Lasts" because of a publicity stunt he participated in February 1948, wherein he hosted a "120-hour talkathon" for charity.

Art Laboe allowed himself only brief rests that lasted no more than 15 minutes.

Art Laboe later returned to Los Angeles and began his time at KPOP.

Art Laboe began to make a list of the most frequently requested songs.

Art Laboe began to turn that concept into an album titled Oldies But Goodies, a term he trademarked.

In 1959, Art Laboe formed record label Original Sound Records to promote new musical talent he discovered.

In 2018, Art Laboe could be heard in 14 different radio markets including Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.

In return for buying ad spots, Art Laboe agreed to tell his audience he would meet them at the drive-in after the show.

The growing popularity of the live broadcast, coupled with growing police harassment of the teenagers who attended the shows, led Art Laboe to look for a new location to host dances.

Since it was outside the city limits of Los Angeles, Art Laboe was not subject to a city ordinance that mandated LA Board of Education approval for any public dance intended for high school students.

Art Laboe began hosting Saturday night dance shows at the El Monte Legion Stadium, a venue that, until then, had primarily hosted country jamborees and boxing matches.

Art Laboe did not discriminate when listeners called to request a song live on-air and was one of the first DJs to allow people of different races to make a request.

Art Laboe died of pneumonia on October 7,2022, at the age of 97.