Harrison wore many hats as a jazz scholar, historian, and educator. He has been described by many as a 'musicologist' and his life-long dedication to what he called 'The Positive Music' made Harrison an icon in the jazz world.
Philadelphia, PA - February 20, 2009 - A Philadelphia jazz icon has been lost. WRTI's beloved and long-time jazz host Harrison Alexander Ridley, Jr. passed away on Thursday, February 19th after a brief illness. Harrison Ridley Jr. was 70 years old and dedicated 32 years of his life as a jazz broadcaster on WRTI.
Harrison Ridley, Jr. was the host of WRTI's award-winning program, The Historical Approach to the Positive Music. Fans from all over the world who wanted to be entertained as well as informed about jazz tuned to WRTI or listened online at wrti.org on Sundays at 8pm to hear Harrison as he took a trip back to a time when swing and bebop elements of jazz were young, fresh, and fabulous. Fans enjoyed Harrison's encyclopedic knowledge presented in a friendly and relaxed style characterized by his signature phrase, “Yes Indeedy!" The Historical Approach to the Positive Music is the longest running program in the 51 year history of WRTI.
Harrison wore many hats as a jazz scholar, historian, and educator. He has been described by many as a “musicologist" and his life-long dedication to what he called “The Positive Music" made Harrison an icon in the jazz world. “On behalf of the WRTI community, both listeners and staff, it is with great sadness that we reflect on the significant loss of Harrison Ridley, Jr. to the jazz community," says WRTI's General Manger, David S. Conant. “The honors and the respect Harrison garnered in his lifetime were many and well deserved. But what I will remember most, along with his trademark 'Yes Indeedy!' is the broad and authentic smile with which he would greet me, along with the occasional bear hug. Knowledgeable, and sincere in his love of jazz, he was above all a gentleman and a truly gentle man."
A tireless advocate for jazz history and education, his enthusiasm and knowledge were welcomed in the classroom, the community, and everywhere else Harrison traveled. Mr. Ridley served as a consultant for the Library of Congress, taught music history at Temple University and was recently presented with an honorary doctorate of music by Villanova University where he taught an Honors Course in African-American Music. During his career, he was the recipient of over 80 awards and citations.
“I miss Harrison already," says WRTI's Jazz Director, Maureen Malloy. “He was such a kind and happy man, always willing to share his wisdom and love of the music. He never hesitated to show off his collection of autographed first edition books and, of course, the wide array of vinyl he toted around on a daily basis. I am glad that I was able to learn from this wonderful historian, DJ and teacher. Harrison Ridley Jr. is one of the reasons I fell in love with jazz. I am proud that I will always be able to call him my friend."
Harrison has been deemed “a walking encyclopedia of jazz" by those who have had the pleasure to meet him. Long-time friend and fellow WRTI colleague, Bob Perkins says, “Yeah, he was a walking compendium or whatever you want to call it--a book of knowledge--one fantastic cat. I'll tell ya, he was a great source of inspiration to me. He had that big smile. He was a bear of a man ““ a very kindly and a very gentle soul. He was so quiet, but he had so much in him. He kept pouring it out--just like a great jazz musician. He never repeated himself. He played it differently every time."
It was in the early '70s that Harrison became a familiar face at WRTI. He volunteered to help the student hosts put their shows together. Then in 1976, the station manager offered him his own show, the Sunday evening slot between 8 and midnight. Mr. Ridley did not accept the offer immediately. Harrison said, “I had to think about it. It was a big commitment." Indeed it was an enormous responsibility to do a quality four-hour show each week. But as with everything he did, he took this commitment seriously, only missing three broadcasts during his 32-year tenure as host.
This astounding accomplishment was done in the face of maintaining a full-time job, enjoying family life with a wife and daughter, and teaching workshops and classes at the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Clef Club, Temple University Center City, the Villanova University Honors Program, and the African-American Studies Department at Temple University.
In all, Mr. Ridley lectured at more than 30 colleges and universities along the East Coast, was a member of the Duke Ellington Society and the John Coltrane Society, and won over 80 awards including an Award of Appreciation from the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, an Outstanding Services Award honoring 35 years of service to the community presented by PASCEP Temple University, and other honors from the University of Pennsylvania, Peco Energy Company, the Parkway Program of the Philadelphia School District.
Mr. Ridley grew up in West Philadelphia, the oldest of 10 children. His father, Harrison Ridley, Sr., loved music and brought home records for his children to enjoy; Jazz, R&B, and Gospel. Though his six sisters and three brothers were content to listen to the music, Ridley remembers that it wasn't enough for him. He had a passion for history, and he wanted to know the story behind each musician and his music. That curiosity took him to the library, where he began amassing notebooks of information.
Harrison was a big man with a big thirst for knowledge and an even larger capacity to share it. He is survived by his wife, Janet Ridley; daughter Jade Wideman-Ridley; step-son Laurence E. White, Jr. and a host of other family members, loved ones and friends. Harrison Ridley Jr. will be truly missed by WRTI and the jazz community. Yes Indeedy!
Licensed to Temple University, WRTI is a 24-hour member-supported public radio network. WRTI's mission is to create and distribute classical music and jazz programming that entertains and educates audiences, and enriches the cultural life of Philadelphia and the tri-state region. WRTI broadcasts in Philadelphia at 90.1 FM; in Reading at 97.7 FM; in Allentown at 97.1 FM; in Harrisburg and Dover at 91.7 FM; in York, Lancaster, Ephrata and Lebanon at 90.7 FM; in Mount Pocono at 91.1 FM; in Wilkes-Barre at 94.9 FM; in Pottsville at 99.1 FM; in Scranton at 106.1 FM; in Ocean City at 91.3FM and on the internet at wrti.org.
Harrison Ridley, Jr. was the host of WRTI's award-winning program, The Historical Approach to the Positive Music. Fans from all over the world who wanted to be entertained as well as informed about jazz tuned to WRTI or listened online at wrti.org on Sundays at 8pm to hear Harrison as he took a trip back to a time when swing and bebop elements of jazz were young, fresh, and fabulous. Fans enjoyed Harrison's encyclopedic knowledge presented in a friendly and relaxed style characterized by his signature phrase, “Yes Indeedy!" The Historical Approach to the Positive Music is the longest running program in the 51 year history of WRTI.
Harrison wore many hats as a jazz scholar, historian, and educator. He has been described by many as a “musicologist" and his life-long dedication to what he called “The Positive Music" made Harrison an icon in the jazz world. “On behalf of the WRTI community, both listeners and staff, it is with great sadness that we reflect on the significant loss of Harrison Ridley, Jr. to the jazz community," says WRTI's General Manger, David S. Conant. “The honors and the respect Harrison garnered in his lifetime were many and well deserved. But what I will remember most, along with his trademark 'Yes Indeedy!' is the broad and authentic smile with which he would greet me, along with the occasional bear hug. Knowledgeable, and sincere in his love of jazz, he was above all a gentleman and a truly gentle man."
A tireless advocate for jazz history and education, his enthusiasm and knowledge were welcomed in the classroom, the community, and everywhere else Harrison traveled. Mr. Ridley served as a consultant for the Library of Congress, taught music history at Temple University and was recently presented with an honorary doctorate of music by Villanova University where he taught an Honors Course in African-American Music. During his career, he was the recipient of over 80 awards and citations.
“I miss Harrison already," says WRTI's Jazz Director, Maureen Malloy. “He was such a kind and happy man, always willing to share his wisdom and love of the music. He never hesitated to show off his collection of autographed first edition books and, of course, the wide array of vinyl he toted around on a daily basis. I am glad that I was able to learn from this wonderful historian, DJ and teacher. Harrison Ridley Jr. is one of the reasons I fell in love with jazz. I am proud that I will always be able to call him my friend."
Harrison has been deemed “a walking encyclopedia of jazz" by those who have had the pleasure to meet him. Long-time friend and fellow WRTI colleague, Bob Perkins says, “Yeah, he was a walking compendium or whatever you want to call it--a book of knowledge--one fantastic cat. I'll tell ya, he was a great source of inspiration to me. He had that big smile. He was a bear of a man ““ a very kindly and a very gentle soul. He was so quiet, but he had so much in him. He kept pouring it out--just like a great jazz musician. He never repeated himself. He played it differently every time."
It was in the early '70s that Harrison became a familiar face at WRTI. He volunteered to help the student hosts put their shows together. Then in 1976, the station manager offered him his own show, the Sunday evening slot between 8 and midnight. Mr. Ridley did not accept the offer immediately. Harrison said, “I had to think about it. It was a big commitment." Indeed it was an enormous responsibility to do a quality four-hour show each week. But as with everything he did, he took this commitment seriously, only missing three broadcasts during his 32-year tenure as host.
This astounding accomplishment was done in the face of maintaining a full-time job, enjoying family life with a wife and daughter, and teaching workshops and classes at the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Clef Club, Temple University Center City, the Villanova University Honors Program, and the African-American Studies Department at Temple University.
In all, Mr. Ridley lectured at more than 30 colleges and universities along the East Coast, was a member of the Duke Ellington Society and the John Coltrane Society, and won over 80 awards including an Award of Appreciation from the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, an Outstanding Services Award honoring 35 years of service to the community presented by PASCEP Temple University, and other honors from the University of Pennsylvania, Peco Energy Company, the Parkway Program of the Philadelphia School District.
Mr. Ridley grew up in West Philadelphia, the oldest of 10 children. His father, Harrison Ridley, Sr., loved music and brought home records for his children to enjoy; Jazz, R&B, and Gospel. Though his six sisters and three brothers were content to listen to the music, Ridley remembers that it wasn't enough for him. He had a passion for history, and he wanted to know the story behind each musician and his music. That curiosity took him to the library, where he began amassing notebooks of information.
Harrison was a big man with a big thirst for knowledge and an even larger capacity to share it. He is survived by his wife, Janet Ridley; daughter Jade Wideman-Ridley; step-son Laurence E. White, Jr. and a host of other family members, loved ones and friends. Harrison Ridley Jr. will be truly missed by WRTI and the jazz community. Yes Indeedy!
Licensed to Temple University, WRTI is a 24-hour member-supported public radio network. WRTI's mission is to create and distribute classical music and jazz programming that entertains and educates audiences, and enriches the cultural life of Philadelphia and the tri-state region. WRTI broadcasts in Philadelphia at 90.1 FM; in Reading at 97.7 FM; in Allentown at 97.1 FM; in Harrisburg and Dover at 91.7 FM; in York, Lancaster, Ephrata and Lebanon at 90.7 FM; in Mount Pocono at 91.1 FM; in Wilkes-Barre at 94.9 FM; in Pottsville at 99.1 FM; in Scranton at 106.1 FM; in Ocean City at 91.3FM and on the internet at wrti.org.
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