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Strobel (far right) has interviewed many country-music entertainers during his career, including Clint Black (center). Others pictured (from left) are WFLS personalities Jim Asker, Caroline Taylor and Sheila Quinn.
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Strobel and his son, Nathan, participate in the Coke Jail event benefiting the Salvation Army Shoe Fund charity.
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Strobel visits tables during the Shoe Fund event at Cheeseburger in Paradise.
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Strobel's family joins him for an event. Son Nathan (center) played The Free Lance-Star's 'Inky' character. Son Noah is at bottom left and wife, Jenny, is at right.
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Strobel poses with the Redskinettes. It's a tough job, but
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Strobel cuddles his bulldog Atlee-Elmont, who became spokesdog for Mount Vernon Sleep Shop and had his own waterbed.
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Strobel rises before dawn to get to the radio station at 4 a.m. to prepare for his morning show. He's on the air at 5 a.m.
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Singer Brad Paisley (center) poses with Strobel and WFLS personality Penny Wack.
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WFLS morning-show personality Brian Strobel gives current weather conditions during a radio show in November. His familiar voice has been a longtime community fixture. The announcer is hanging up his microphone at the end of the year.
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Brian Strobel takes a donation by phone from GM Powertrain during a Salvation Army Shoe Fund Drive fundraiser at Cheeseburger in Paradise this month.
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Brian Strobel and his wife, Jenny, ride in the King George Fall Festival parade in 1984. He's active in community events.
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RADIO ICON After three decades of giving legions of loyal fans their wake-up calls, WFLS radio personality is ready to sleep in
After three decades of giving legions of loyal fans their wake-up calls, WFLS radio personality Brian Strobel is ready to sleep in. He's retiring at the end of the year
By SUSAN SCOTT NEAL
Date published: 12/15/2007
Loyal radio listeners couldn't tell, but Brian Strobel was nervous.
It didn't matter that he's been the voice of WFLS' morning show for 30 years, or that his day had begun in entirely normal fashion. He was feeling just fine and he'd already had his orange juice, vitamin pill and glass of Carnation Instant Breakfast.
He'd arrived at the station at 4 a.m. as usual, gone on the air at 5, and done his famous "Dooby Doo" wakeup song at 6:05. He had a mug of Taster's Choice instant coffee by his side.
The routine was the same as every other weekday since 1977. But Friday, Dec. 7, was different.
At 6:20 a.m., as he stood in the studio overlooking the still-dark world along Washington Avenue, Strobel took a deep breath for strength and leaned into the microphone.
"I have decided to leave the morning show," he announced to his audience.
His voice wavered but Strobel plugged on. "I want to thank you for listening to me over the years. But you just come to a point in your life when you say it's time to pass the torch I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do, except that I'm going to spend the first week in January doing the leaves in my yard."
Off-air, he wiped away a tear and breathed a long, relieved sigh. "Whew," he said. "I'm such a wimp."
Longtime career
Yes, it's true. Brian Strobel is a wimp when it comes to the community he loves, and he does love the nice folks who start their days listening to him on the radio.
But he is far from wimpy in terms of the mark he has made on his adopted hometown.
Strobel will retire from the radio station on Dec. 31, wrapping up a 40-year broadcasting career that has earned him a special place in the hearts of devoted fans, to whom he is a friend, not just a familiar voice.
"Oh, Brian, tell me it isn't true!" demanded one of the many listeners who called in that morning to express their shock, their love and their best wishes.
"Put that Brian on the phone," commanded another. "I know you're 60, but you're not old enough to retire," she said.
Date published: 12/15/2007
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