Hi, I’m Brian. As a sophomore at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois, I was failing my English class. My teacher, Ms. Pflederer, suggested I try out for the school’s radio station. One foot through the door at WMTH and I knew what I wanted to do with my life. “You mean you can get paid to listen to music and talk to people? Sign me up!” After passing sophomore English and then graduating, I followed several classmates to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, renowned for their Radio/TV program. A more than 20-year career in broadcasting began at WHPI in Herrin and continued with stints at WTAO, CIL-FM and Big Dawg 95.1. In 1995 I was named the first station manager of WDBX Community Radio 91.1fm, a job I held until 2011. Since 2012, I have been holding down weekends on New Country Z100. I enjoy attending music festivals and concerts and am that loud fan you’ll always find in the Dawg Pound at SIU Basketball games and on the Hill for Saluki Baseball. Follow me on Twitter @brianrpowell!