Bobby Skafish

Bobby Skafish has been a Chicago radio landmark for over 30 years. A music aficionado whose lifetime love affair with music he credits to family values, or rather the music valued by his family while growing up the youngest of five siblings in Hammond, Indiana.

As he recounts, "my oldest brother was into high quality pre-Beatles stuff like Chuck Berry and Sam Cooke, while my other bro dug the vocal group sounds of the Beach Boys and the 4 Seasons. My dancing sister loved her Motown while the one closest to my age got off on the British invasion bands, starting with the Fab Four."

Bobby soaked it all up and acquired faves of his own along the way. Pressed to name an absolute numero uno, he demurs, quoting a line attributed to Bruce Springsteen: "on any given night, any band is the greatest rock and roll band in the world."

With roots running this deep, it should come as no great surprise Bobby gravitated toward rock radio, beginning at Indiana University campus station WIUS and continuing to this day, having worked the Chicago airwaves since late 1976, right around the time "Hotel California" was released. His career highlights are many, and he cites one of the most memorable moments, interviewing Sir Bob Geldof on the 1984 day the Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas" single for African famine relief was released as one of them: "that transcended the usual artist- working- his- record thing."

Bobby loves doing the 3-8 p.m. afternoon drive shift on 97.1 FM, and especially loves the Drive's approach to music, "always keeping it front and center," as he puts it.

Bobby has lived within walking distance of Wrigley Field since 1977, and is happily married with a beautiful daughter.

Email Bobby: bskafish@wdrv.com