Philadelphia renames part of Broad Street Jerry Blavat Way in honor of legendary DJ
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There was a special dedication ceremony to honor Jerry Blavat.
The city honored the late and groundbreaking DJ by renaming a portion of Broad Street after him Wednesday night.
The block party was part of a dedication ceremony to honor the life of Blavat. The legendary DJ who went by "The Geator with the Heater" and "The Big Boss with the Hot Sauce" died in January following a short illness at 82.
He was a fixture in the city and down the Shore for more than 60 years and with the street renaming his legacy will live on.
It was an energetic and high-spirited dedication. Blavat's family says that seeing the road sign was a surreal, emotional moment for them.
Bringing the dance moves and music to Broad Street in the name of "The Big Boss with the Hot Sauce."
"I am happy to announce that this portion of Broad Street will now read 'Jerry Blavat Way,'" Mayor Jim Kenney said.
"When I drove up and saw it, I started crying," Blavat's partner Keely Stahl said.
"I am so proud of my father, my dad loved the city of Philadelphia, and as you can see the city of Philadelphia lived him back," daughter Stacy Braglia said.
"The Geator with the Heater" always had everyone on their feet and this crowd didn't disappoint.
"When you listened to Jerry and just hearing him talk, everybody was excited, everybody was happy, everybody would stand up and dance," City councilmember Mark Squilla said.
The energy and spirit were high Wednesday night as the crowd danced the night away to oldies' music.
"That was my dad he was larger than life," Braglia said "His spirit shined through everything he did and everything he said and all the people he met."
Blavat's legacy will forever live on.
"It's amazing, Jerry would be looking down smiling on this," friend Norman Burnett said. "This is amazing."
He was also inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame in 1993. In addition to the intersection, a plaque in his honor sits at Broad and Locust.
This weekend the celebration of his life will continue in Margate.
