The Times podcast: Dedicated to Art Laboe

GLENDALE, AZ-- FEBRUARY 13, 2009-- Art Laboe, a disc jockey for more than 50 years, blows a kiss to the audience, during his 2009 Art Laboe Valentine's Super Love Jam concert at the Jobing.com arena in Glendale, Feb. 13, 2009. Laboe, 84, has a loyal fan base, which consists heavily of Latinos, who request melodramatic love songs not often heard on the radio. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Art Laboe blows a kiss to the audience, during his 2009 Art Laboe Valentine's Super Love Jam concert at the Jobing.com arena in Glendale. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Art Laboe's voice filled Southern California airwaves for more than 70 years. But beyond being a beloved disc jockey whose show was eventually broadcast across the nation, Laboe spread a radical message of racial unity way before such messages became mainstream.

The prolific “Oldies but Goodies” radio legend died Oct. 7 of pneumonia. His death comes at a time when we need his message of tolerance more than ever. So today, a tribute to Art Laboe. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: TimesOC feature writer Gabriel San Román

More reading:

L.A.’s radio community pays tribute to Art Laboe, a legend and mentor: ‘End of an era’

Column: I’m playing an Art Laboe album to counteract the noxious vibe from L.A. City Hall

Art Laboe dies; his ‘Oldies but Goodies’ show ruled the L.A. airwaves

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.