The Geator with the Heater, The Big Boss with the Hot Sauce, The Man with the Plan & the Pots and Pans, legendary disc jockey Jerry Blavat has passed on to the great sock-hop in the sky at the age of 82. He passed away at 3:45am Friday morning in hospice at Jefferson-Methodist Hospital from the effects of myasthenia gravis and other related health issues.
The Geator, a Philadelphia icon, was always on in my house growing up in Delco. My dad was a huge fan of his going back to the early Bandstand days. We must have watched ‘The In Crowd’ a dozen times or more on VHS, and always stopped to watch it no matter where it landed in the movie, when it was on TV. I was so jealous that Blavat got to appear in an episode of The Monkees too – love that show! Though we never made it to Memories in Margate, NJ, we’d listen to his dance party radio shows as a family whenever we had the chance.
I was fortunate enough to chat with The Geator for a few minutes about a decade, or so, ago at Preston & Steve’s Campout for Hunger. And like all the other tribute posts you are reading about Jerry; he couldn’t have been any nicer. The picture of Pierre, The Geator & me is one of my all-time favorite pictures ever!!
In 1993, Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance Hall of Fame – In 1998, he was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of an exhibit in the Museum of Radio and Records and in 2002, inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame. A true legend that has brought music, dancing, and fun to the masses for decades and over generations. He represented what was great about music and life in Philadelphia and will truly be missed by so many.
We salute you Jerry Blavat – on this, National DJ Day – you were one of the very best to ever do what you do and Philadelphia, the Jersey Shore and the entire tri-state area will miss you greatly! -bp
