John Beaty
Broadcast Pioneers Board Meeting
Bala Golf Club
March 2002

John Devine Beaty served on the Board of Directors of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia for five years and he was a member of our organization for over a decade and a half. He was a sitting board member at the time of his passing (he was a diabetic) on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at the age of 71.

John was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was a graduate of Palm Beach High School (class of 1951). He then enrolled at the University of Florida the next year but decided to join the U.S. Army in 1953. He was discharged the next year after developing juvenile diabetes.

After the service, Beaty returned to the University of Florida, where he worked at the student radio station. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communications in 1957. On the date of his graduation, he married Janell Verri.

The couple moved to the Delaware Valley in 1963 when John obtained employment at WCHE (1520 on the AM dial) in West Chester. Shortly thereafter, Beaty went to WQAL-FM in Philadelphia. About 1970, the station was sold and became WWSH.

A little while later, John Beaty left WWSH and went to the station’s competitor WDVR where he stayed for 18 years. WDVR later became WEAZ (Eazy 101) and then WBEB, B-101.

From Eazy 101, Beaty went to a Mount Holly, NJ station, WWJZ (640 on your AM dial). He stayed until the station was sold to Disney five years later.

In 2000, Beaty joined the staff of WRDV/WLBS-FM where he held court every Wednesday morning from 8 am to 12 noon playing Big Band music using the name Johann Sebastian Beaty. About his show, John once said: ring you four hours of those great sounds of the big bands, small combos and gifted soloists. Plus "PIANO PLAYHOUSE," a solid half hour of outstanding piano artistry. John Beaty loved broadcasting, he did have several hobbies that included guitar playing, photography and airplane restoration. John was an active member of the Centennial Singers, based in Warminster, PA. John and his wife had three daughters; Susan, Lee and Robin.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
© 2005, All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com