Philly DJ Pierre Robert, the ‘heart and soul of WMMR,’ has died

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Legendary Philadelphia rock ‘n’ roll DJ Pierre Robert has died.

The 70-year-old on-air personality with WMMR was found dead at his home on Wednesday morning, before his regular midday DJ shift. A cause has not been given. Foul play is not suspected.

Robert had been on the air in Philadelphia for 44 years, all of them at WMMR. He has become one of the most recognized voices in this region.

In 2019, he was given a star in Philadelphia’s Walk of Fame along South Broad Street.

WMMR’s parent company Beasley Media Group called Robert “the heart and soul of WMMR.”

“Pierre’s unwavering love for music and his deep connection with listeners made him one of radio’s most enduring and beloved voices,” said Caroline Beasley, CEO of BMG. “He will be greatly missed.”

In 1981, Pierre left a radio job in San Francisco, bound for Philadelphia with no promise of a job and whatever he could fit into a Volkswagen van. He eventually landed a gig in the music library of WMMR, before graduating to DJing.

He reportedly interviewed for the job at WMMR during a concert by Philadelphia band The Hooters. They became one of his favorites, forming a bond with its members that lasted over four decades.

“Doing what I do and what the band does, we meet so many different personalities in radio, but I never met a DJ like him,” said Hooters drummer David Uosikkinen. “We got so close. We vacationed once together.”

Uosikkinen recalled a trip to Robert’s vacation home on Lake Tahoe, California, which was where a scene from Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather II” was filmed. Robert took Uosikkinen out on a boat to the place where the character Fredo Corleone was executed.

“Pierre said, ‘Look up,’ and here I was sitting right where Fredo was fishing when he took one in the head,” he said. “He was such a thoughtful human being. He knew how much I loved that film.”

On the air, Robert was known for his warmth, positivity and for honesty: If there was a reason to be excited or saddened, it showed in his voice.

“That’s why people love him so much because it was authentic. He was transparent about himself,” Uosikkinen said. “He let it hang out, basically, no other way to put it.”

In addition to his on-air work, Robert was known for his many charity endeavors, including AIDS Walk Philly and the hunger relief project MANNA’s Pie in the Sky. He even once rescued an injured turtle on the side of a road.

His midday broadcast overlapped with WMMR’s morning show “Preston and Steve,” also known as Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison. The duo posted a tribute to Robert on their Instagram page.

“He preached the gospel of rock n’ roll, and gave us all common ground to dance on,” they wrote. “In good times his optimism was infectious, and on tough days his words offered familiar comfort to every Good Citizen.”

On Wednesday, other DJs at WMMR spent the day spinning Robert’s favorite songs and mourning his passing on the air. Afternoon host Brent Porche asked listeners for support.

“You guys reach out to us when there’s loss, whether it be in the musical community or Philadelphia community or whatever it may be,” Porche said on the air. “We are reaching out to you guys. We need you very much through all of this.”