Bob Shaw

[Chuckigo@aol.com]

Friends,

   it is with sadness that I share the following obituary notice (copied and 
slightly edited for space concerns) of a true radio professional, Bob Shaw.
  (full notice at:   http://www.portland.com/news/obits.shtml )

<<Robert G. "Bob" Shaw, the radio personality with a vast knowledge of jazz 
and its minutia, died Friday, just before singing a song on a cruise ship in 
the Caribbean. Mr. Shaw, 69, was hosting a cruise for listeners of WLAM radio.
"He was about to play and sing for the folks," said Wally McCarthy, the 
station manager, "and just died right there."
He was doing the things he loved, his wife said, explaining that the Navy 
veteran loved the ocean and loved performing. "The night he died, we had gone 
to dinner," Nancy Shaw said. "We even stopped and had our portrait taken an 
hour and a half before he died."
Mr. Shaw truly loved music – playing it, singing it, spinning it, talking 
about it. His wife remembers him playing guitar and singing standards – 
especially "Lady is a Tramp" and "Come Fly With Me."
"He did them so well," she said. "So well."
Bud Sawyer said his friend had an encyclopedic knowledge of music.
"He was just phenomenal in his memory," Sawyer said. "We have lost a huge 
source of information and enthusiasm for an era of music that seems to be 
coming 
back."
Sawyer said that Mr. Shaw was a fun man who understood music and knew trivia. 
"Names you never heard of, he could quote where they were and who they were . 
. . unbelievable recall of musicians and recording sessions."
In addition to playing music over the radio, Mr. Shaw performed live, at the 
Top of the East, at the Bridgeway Restaurant in South Portland and later at 
retirement villages.
Born in Boston, a son of Leon B. and Gladys Brown Shaw, he grew up in 
Dorchester. He graduated from the Leland Powers School of Theater and 
Broadcasting in Boston, and served in the Navy during the Korean War.
In the '50s. he began his radio career at WHAI in Massachusetts, then moved 
to WGUY in Bangor. In 1957, he started working at WCSH radio in Portland. He 
joined Snow-Net, a nationally syndicated ski reporting service, in 1972. In 
1986, he joined WHOM. Until his death, he was the mid-morning on-air 
personality at WLAM.
Surviving are his wife of Portland and daughter of Hiram; two sons, Steven of 
Lewiston and Glenn of Portland; and a sister, Nancy Esty, of Groveland, Mass.
A celebration of his life is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the 
Bridgeway Restaurant. >>

   For those who knew Bob Shaw, he was, plain and simple, a really, really 
nice man.  A consumate professional who was always concerned with his on-air 
work, Bob made a life out of a love:  music.
    For those who remember his Portland radio career, he was "Boppin' Bob 
Shaw" in the 60's, and could "post one" with the best of them.  
    I first met Bob while a fledgling radio pronouncer in 1980 at a WCSH 
on-air reunion/retrospective weekend.  I had the honor of running the board 
for him.  I then had the chance to work with Bob during one of his return 
tenures to WYNZ (omitted from the notice) from 1989 through 1994.  Bob had a 
health concern in 1994 around the time of WYNZ's sale, and by the time he had 
recovered enough to return to work, the new owners (SAGA) had deleted the 
MYOL format in favor of satellite talk.  Bob then found a home with Ron 
Frizzel and Downeast Broadcasting's WLAM.
     I'd like to offer my sincerest condolences to Bob's family, as well as 
to those who had the chance to know him even better than I.  My memory will 
be that of his twinkling eyes, his bright smile and very infectious laugh.
     No more pattern changes, Bob.  Now, while you're up there, can you do 
something about this consultant thing???   ;-) 

with much respect,

- -Chuck Igo