Legendary Soul Radio Personality, Jay Baby "Live And In Color" Passes in Florida

James “Jay Baby” Robinson passed away peacefully at his home in Winter Park, FL on July 27, 2009 at the age of 69. Born in Perry, FL, Jay Baby grew up in an era historically known as “race music” and throughout his life he was a key figure in promoting R&B music artists throughout the state of Florida.

As a young entrepreneur, he opened Jay’s Records in Orlando, and along with Soul Train Record, Platter Shack and Jazzette’s Music, these “mom and pop” retailers served the local community. Jay’s Records provided a stage for the promotion of many great talents in their early careers, including James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick, Buddy McKnight, Marvin Gaye, The Main Ingredient, Johnny Mathis, Ella Washington and many others.

Jay Baby’s outgoing personality and growing reputation for music promotion led him into broadcasting, beginning as a local news broadcaster based in Clearwater, FL. He joined WOKB – Orlando as an on-air personality with TIGER IN THE MORNING, his daily broadcast. Along with the WOKB team, Joe Bullard, Marvin Zanders, Nick Mickels, Guy Rozier and Melvin Grace, they rose in popularity throughout the South East region where they utilized their voices to broadcast to the masses, uniting community action, promoting civil rights groups and organizations, advertising local businesses and joining with other community leaders in rallying the masses to “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”.

"LIVE AND IN COLOR" was Jay Baby’s Moniker and connecting nationally with other great African-American broadcasters and promoters during the 1960’s and 70’s, Jack “The Rapper” Gibson, Rufas Thomas, Martha Jean “The Queen” Washington, Joe “Butterball” Tamburro, and Vonny Sweeny, collectively breaking down “race music” and creating the foundation for the introduction of the Soul Music format.

It is these black music pioneers of Soul Music that opened the doors today for the expansion of Black Music formats R&B, Gospel, Hip Hop, Blues and Jazz to become the most popular music formats worldwide. It is with profound sadness that we let go, but with great joy of what Jay Baby left behind…spinning records into gold.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2009 at Stewart Memorial A.M.E. 1107 W. Hampton Springs Road, Perry, FL at 2:00 pm. A public memorial service is also being planned in Orlando and details are forthcoming.