Turnersville resident Bob Pantano is celebrating his 40th anniversary as the host of “Saturday Night Dance Party” on 98.1 WOGL FM
South Jersey’s Bob Pantano, celebrating his 40th anniversary as host of the first and longest running radio dance party in the nation — the №1 rated “Saturday Night Dance Party” on 98.1 WOGL FM — is about to add the most distinguished honor of his celebrated broadcasting career, with a bronze plaque on the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.
The Turnersville resident, whose generation-spanning success has earned the South Philly native the moniker “Mr. Saturday Night,” will be formally inducted as the Class of 2017’s “Radio Row” honoree in afternoon ceremonies along the Avenue of the Arts, where his bronze plaque along the walk will be unveiled, followed by an evening Gala at the Fillmore Philadelphia.
Pantano will be joined in grand style by fellow 2017 class members Jill Scott, Sister Sledge, Labelle (Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx), McFadden & Whitehead, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Soul Survivors and Chris Schwartz & Joe Nicolo (Ruffhouse Records).
Pantano’s Walk of Fame induction is the latest in a series of major career honors, including the Broadcast Pioneers’ 2015 Person of the Year, the Phillies’ Gamble & Huff Community Partnership Award, the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame, the Temple University School of Communications and Theater Hall of Fame and a sidewalk plaque on the Wildwood Avenue of the Stars. Already this fall, he has served as Grand Marshall in the 63rd annual Hero Thrill Show at the Wells Fargo Center and launched the weekly “Friday Night Live On Today’s 96.5,” broadcast live each week from the Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford, home to the legendary “Saturday Night Dance Party.”
