Jerry Jacobs

Jerry Jacobs was born Jerome H. Jacobs in San Jose, California. His father owned a clothing store called The White House, and Jerry, after his service during World War II, followed in his father’s footsteps. Jerry owned and operated Jerry’s Store for Men on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park, California for over 25 years. Upon retiring, he volunteered his time to several local organizations including KCEA, the local nonprofit radio station in town which just happened to play his favorite style of music - swing. Beginning in 1985, Jerry spent six years teaming with Dan Del Fiorentino for their weekly two (sometimes three) hour radio program entitled “Juke Box Saturday Night.” Among the most noted broadcasts from the team was a tribute to World War II in which they played six hours of V-Disc Recordings, many of which had never before been played on radio. The team also hosted a yearly program dedicated to the music of Irving Berlin, which ran each year on the famous songwriter’s birthday, May 11. They received a letter from the Berlin family following Irving’s 100th birthday stating that he was happy to know “two fellows on the West coast” were playing his music. Mr. Berlin lived to be 101 and Jerry and Dan honored the songwriter one last time after his passing the following May 11. Their last “Juke Box Saturday Night” program aired in September of 1990. Jerry was an influential mentor who encouraged Dan to follow his passion of recording interviews with his musical heroes, which is at the very foundation of the NAMM Oral History program.