BIRMINGHAM — radio personality Bob Labbe has been named the Large-Market Radio Personality of the Year in Alabama at the Alabama Broadcasters Association’s 20th annual Abby Awards. The honor was announced in Birmingham and recognized Labbe’s 53 years in broadcasting, including 35 years hosting Reelin’ In The Years on WLRH-FM. The award also highlighted his long run as a sports reporter for the Madison Record.
Bob Labbe’s radio personality honor
Labbe, 72, hosts a four-hour live program every Friday night from 9: 00 p. m. to 1: 00 a. m. on WLRH 89. 3 FM. The show features oldies music drawn from his personal collection of more than 20, 000 original 45 rpm records from the 1950s through the 1990s. The format also includes interviews with major music artists, prizes for listeners and facts tied to the era of the 45 rpm record.
In his acceptance speech at the awards ceremony at The Club in Birmingham, Labbe said he was “totally shocked” by the recognition and called it the award that means the most to him. He said he had won awards for television work on Channel 31 and for writing over three decades as a newspaper writer, but this honor stood apart.
Inside the award night
Labbe also reflected on how the role fits a childhood dream. “I used to play radio in my room as a kid and always wanted to be a disc jockey, ” he said. “WLRH has given me the opportunity to do what I’ve dreamed of doing. ”
The Alabama Broadcasters Association gave five awards to WLRH-Public Radio during the event, with Labbe’s individual recognition among the night’s top honors. The setting underscored how the station’s mix of public radio service and long-form music programming continues to draw formal recognition in Alabama.
What the radio personality award means next
The recognition adds another milestone to a career that has stretched across radio, television and print. For Labbe, the award arrives while he continues his Friday night program and remains tied to the old-style broadcast format that has defined his work for decades.
His win also places the focus back on the enduring audience for specialty music radio and the presenters who keep that tradition alive. For listeners of Reelin’ In The Years, the radio personality label now carries the weight of an award built on years of steady on-air work and a deep personal archive. The radio personality honor is likely to keep attention on Labbe’s role at WLRH-FM in the weeks ahead.
