Anthony R. Petito, aka the "Fabulous" Buzz Curtis, aged 90 passed away peacefully on March 14, 2024 at Lankenau Hospital after a very long hospitalization and painful recovery from a fall. He was born on January 7, 1934 in Philadelphia as the only child to Margaret Tillye and Anthony Petito.

They lived in South Philadelphia when in 1936 his father suddenly passed away at the young age of 33. At two years old, Buzzy as he was called, no one ever called him Anthony or Tony, barely had any memories of his father and as he grew, he became a "latch key" kid before the phrase was coined as his mother went to work in a nearby hat making factory.

A self-described child prodigy, he became interested in the radio business. He won an apprenticeship as a teenager to be a disc jockey for a radio station in Virginia.  This began his life long relationship with the record business, not as he would tell you the music business; he didn't care as much about the music. He liked the wheeling and dealing of promoting the music.  As his friend Eddie Collins said, "he was "promotion in motion". He was one of the most colorful guys when 45 rpm records were proudly spinning on turntables at radio stations such as WIBG and WFIL in Philadelphia. Buzz was a mover and shaker trying to make and break the next 'hit' with disc jockeys and program directors."

He worked for Vee-Jay Records of Chicago and became friendly with their big hit artist Jerry Butler taking him out and about on interviews to radio stations.  He also worked for Tamla Records taking around such big-name celebrities as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, to name a few. When Barry Gordy changed Tamla Records label to Motown Records in 1960, Buzz was asked to work exclusively for them.  But Buzz had other ideas.

In the early 1960's, Buzz formed Post Records whose specialty was creating custom music compilations for radio stations all across the country.  He described the early days booking a hotel room and taking calls directly there from the 1-800 number ad that played on the local tv station. He had dozens of people jammed in this tiny hotel room taking calls from people calling after the ad played. He became very successful with this format and went on to work directly with radio stations across the country producing compilation albums to coincide with promotions or charity benefits the radio stations would sponsor. As his dear friend Steve Ross states, "the tagline for Post Records was 'more to come' and it always rang true!"

As Eddie Collins, Groovetime Productions (www.eddiecollins.com) said in a tribute to Buzz, "Buzz Curtis reigned in a day and age when there was a true record industry, fueled by Top 40 radio stations and personality driven disc jockeys…some of us who grew up in that era, remember it fondly, …others will never know a time and place quite like those glorious 1960s and 70s…as for the future, who knows, as Buzz would say maybe there's …more to come!"

He was part of my family; my grandkids were his grandkids, my sons his. He worried and helped every one of them, no questions. The family parties, weddings, graduations, funerals all shared with Buzz. We argued like a married couple who had been together over 30 years, but we also loved each other like no other married couple of 33 years. I am proud to say of his living relations I am here as a testament to his memory, Carol Christiano, lifelong partner of Anthony R. Petito affectionately known as Buzz Curtis, there will never be another like him.

As were his wishes, Buzz has been cremated and his ashes will be interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon Pennsylvania with his mother, father and grandparents who will guide him safely and lovingly into his final reward.  To all who knew him, consider yourself blessed and fortunate to have come into his life. The interment service will be conducted privately.