I don’t listen to the radio much.  I remember hearing Art Laboe’s name when I was a kid.  I knew he was a DJ, and I may have heard his show when I was growing up.  But I really didn’t know much about him until I read his obituary last October. 

Reading about his life, I felt a rush of happiness and sadness.  I’m not sure I can explain why, but I think it had to do with the fact that he spent his time on earth bringing people together.  From the lovers who called in asking him to dedicate a song to someone they cared about, to the kids from East LA, West LA, and South LA who gathered at the live shows he organized.

On Saturday, August 5, thousands of people gathered in Downtown LA to pay tribute to Laboe.  DJs spun oldies and live performers took the stage to sing their versions of favorite tunes. People from all over Los Angeles showed up, and everybody seemed to be having a good time.

We are so divided these days.  There are so many voices in the media that seem determined to drive us apart.  We really need voices that can reach across the lines that divide us.  Art Laboe understood the power of music, and he used it to erase those lines.  We need people like him now more than ever.