Raymond “Raybo” Boyce (1933 – 2025)

Raymond “Raybo” Boyce, a beloved voice of jazz radio in Central New York for more than three decades, died on September 20, 2025, at age 92.

A New Jersey native, Boyce began his broadcasting career in his home state before serving in the U.S. Army, where he met his wife of 68 years, Anna. In the 1960s they moved to Syracuse, where he became one of the region’s most recognizable radio personalities. Over the next 30 years he hosted jazz programs on WFBL (1390 AM), WAER (88.3 FM), and WCNY (91.3 FM), as well as WOIV (105.1 FM) and WSIV (1540 AM). His best-known series, Boyce in the Backroom, featured his full-bodied voice, genial manner, and encyclopedic command of jazz.

Boyce’s passion for the music began in childhood when his sister brought home a 1937 Bluebird 78 of Teddy Hill’s “The Love Bug Will Bite You.” He championed artists from King Oliver and Bix Beiderbecke to Duke Ellington, Eddie Lang, and Maxine Sullivan, whom he knew personally, while also saving room for more modern material in his show. He seasoned his commentary with the same humor and charm that made him a popular emcee at local jazz events and festivals.

In addition to his on-air work, Boyce wrote features and reviews for The Post-Standard and was a founding member of the Jazz Appreciation Society of Syracuse (JASS), for which he suggested the group’s name—playing on the early spelling of “jass.”

“He was such a lovely man and a great broadcaster,” said Syncopated Times publisher Andy Senior, a longtime friend. “I’ll miss his genial presence on this planet.”