Jay Allen, long-time bluegrass radio host at WBRF in Galax, VA, has announced that he will be retiring at the end of next week.
Allen has spent the past 23 years at the station, which broadcasts a very strong signal at 98.1 FM covering much of southwestern Virginia, northwestern North Carolina and West Virginia. In recent years they have begun streaming live online as Blue Ridge Country 98.
Jay’s program, Blue Ridge Backroads, is broadcast each weekday evening from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
In a note yesterday to fans and loyal listeners, he indicated that his last day on the air would be July 13.
“I’ve been contemplating cutting back on my workload(13-14) hour days since March and have decided now is the time to do it. I thank Deborah Stringer and the Epperson family for their great support.
I’ve made many friends not only here at the station, but from the loyal listeners of the station and my bluegrass show. I’ve seen the us grow from a primarily local station, to one that has a local, regional, national and international following.
I will continue working with the Carroll School system and hope to increase my base of students that I tutor after school. I leave knowing that it has been a great ride here, but its time to hang up the headset and put away the microphone.”
The show is expected to continue on WBRF, with a new host to be named in the next few days.
