WORCESTER, Mass. - This week, the Radio Hall of Fame will honor its 2023 inductees, and former WAAF-FM host Bob Rivers is among those receiving one of radio’s highest honors.

Rivers, along with Peter "Zip" Zipfel, became household names in Massachusetts throughout the 1980s as hosts of "The Bob and Zip Show."

“I just figured my proper place was as a runner-up somewhere, and so when I did get the nod, it meant a lot to me,” Rivers said.

“No one has really worked harder or was more intent on getting audio quality correct,” Zipfel said. “When I first met him, he used to complain about my diction and things like that, he was really focused on the best product day-to-day.”

For longtime radio listeners in Massachusetts, Rivers’ voice stirs up fond memories of the golden days of WAAF-FM, and he and Zipfel’s time hosting coincided with a rapidly growing rock music scene they helped bring to the masses.

“It was a special time not just for us, but for all of radio and rock music,” Rivers said. “Think about the 80s, all the bands that were huge here in Boston. We took chances, and we made mistakes, just a few.”

“I think one of the key things too was that the Centrum Centre, now the DCU Center, was the concert venue for anyone coming through in the early 1980s,” Zipfel said. “I think Springsteen did nine shows at one point.”

After his time at WAAF-FM, Rivers became a radio host at WIYY in Baltimore before spending 25 years in Seattle.

Rivers and Zipfel are also known for the popular "Twisted Christmas" comedy album and other parodies.

“We decided to make them as good as we can, so we recorded out at Long View Farm, you know, where the Stones would practice,” Rivers said. “Something about being around all that positive fun talent turned into a bit of magic. And we had a good seven year run here.”

While some avoid looking back on old memories, Rivers has been embracing his storied career and the people he’s met along the way. Seeing his former WAAF-FM colleagues on Saturday ahead of his induction ceremony reminded him of what he called a ‘beautiful group of people.”

“It’s nostalgia,” Rivers said. “By the way, I've been reading a book on this, because I'm reading books about getting old. Nostalgia is good for your health, and reconnecting with people who are formative in your values and your passion when you first got started reminds you of that and makes you feel good.”

Inductees to the Radio Hall of Fame will be honored in a ceremony Thursday at the InterContinental Barclay Hotel in New York City.

Bob and Zip can still be heard on the 100.1 The Pike every Saturday afternoon from noon to 4 pm.