Los Angeles Book Festival Honorable Mention Best Memoir
Readers Favorite Book Award Finalist
Lew Dobbins’ 47 year broadcasting career began with an early audition in 1963, his freshman year of high school, announcing the death of a United States President. The West Virginia native openly writes of what would be compared today as the primitive days of broadcasting.
A recounting of an illustrious career in country music, radio and TV, Lew Dobbins writes a personal history of country music and engages the reader with personal and professional stories of our country’s greatest stars.
Read about his development of an on-air character and phrases on his radio program that have become that of West Virginia legendary folklore. The business of news radio and TV, the interviews with internationally known personalities from Herb Morrison, the man who described “The Hindenburg Disaster” on worldwide radio, basketball legend Meadowlark Lemon, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, and many more. The who’s who of country music tell Lew their most private thoughts in the greatest conversations ever recorded in the history of country music.
The words are all factual, the stories are all true from stars such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, George Straight, Charlie Daniels, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty and so many more.
In 2008, Lew received the “ultimate thank you” from his peers, when he was inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He joined fellow inductees such as: Don Knotts, David Selby, Tom T. Hall, Little Jimmy Dickens, Soupy Sales, Peter Marshall and many more individuals of national prominence.
Take a seat and join Lew on his wild ride as the on air light is “on” and it’s showtime Behind the Microphone
What People Say
“For you that don’t know Lew Dobbins, permit me to tell of him. I was coming off a long concert tour when I stopped into say “hello” to Lew. He was drinking a cup of black coffee, I asked if I could have one, in which he replied, “Keith, I am sorry this is the last cup, but I will share it with you.” Now a guy that would share his last cup of coffee with you would give you the shirt off his back. Lew Dobbins is a national treasure that happens to live in West Virginia…”..quote from the late country music star, Keith Whitley
“You have a person that is committed as a journalist. That was his love and that’s what drove him. Lew Dobbins is a name everybody knows. When Lew was on air he was the utmost professional and he was always fair, that’s missing in broadcasting today. Thank you, Lew, for a job well done”…… quote from WV United States Senator Joe Manchin
“There’s this voice, when you heard it, you knew it was Lew Dobbins. He has this great energy, great personality of interacting with people. There was no doubt when Lew was on-air, you knew it was him. For those that didn’t, they would say “Wow, who is that guy?” Great voice, great personality, a Hall of Famer, that’s Lew Dobbins”…… quote from sports talk show host and voice of the West Virginia Mountaineers Football and Basketball, Tony Caridi
“Thank you, Lew. If it hadn’t have been for real country music DJ’s like you, my family and I wouldn’t have enjoyed a successful career. Country music owes so much to your generation of DJ’s. You are one of the last greats. I want you to know that you are appreciated by me and many others.”………. quote from country music legend and star of “Hee Haw” Roni Stoneman
Divine Zape, Readers’ Favorite –
Behind the Microphone by Lew Dobbins is a powerful book that brilliantly captures the broadcasting career of Lew Dobbins, underlining the factors that brought him to fame since his early audition in 1963, announcing the death of a President of the United States. Follow the author as he recounts his history with music, radio and TV, capturing a captivating culture in beautiful, somewhat lyrical prose, and in a style that is atypical. In a compelling way and in a powerful voice, the author weaves his personal stories with anecdotes from some of the most brilliant and reputable names in the music, radio, and TV industries, drawing the reader into the life and successes of some of the greatest stars America has produced.
Lew Dobbins’ writing is excellent and it combines short, quick sentences with concise and vivid descriptions to offer readers great entertainment. Behind the Microphone features just the kinds of stories I have always wanted to read, the personalities I would yearn to meet, and the author makes them come to life with his beautiful words and the accompanying pictures. In these pages, readers will find history, personal and inspiring stories from celebrities, anecdotes that are downright entertaining, and a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about American stars. This is one of those books that will allow readers to get a glimpse of some of their favorite radio, TV, and music stars, and from one who mingled with them, spoke with them occasionally, and got to interview them. It is a satisfactory story, beautifully written and a pleasant read.