Tony Brown, longtime popular radio personality, dies at 75

Tony Brown, 75, of Collegeville, a longtime popular nighttime radio personality, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, of congestive heart failure and other complications at Seasons Hospice in Phoenixville.

Using his sonorous voice, sincere disposition, and natural affinity for people, Mr. Brown played jazz and rhythm and blues and chatted reassuringly to listeners overnight on weekdays and afternoons on Sundays for more than 45 years.

From 1972 to 2018, Mr. Brown invited listeners to spend “a Brown night with Tony,” and, drawn to his personality and musical stylings, thousands did. He worked at WDAS-FM (105.3) and WUSL-FM (98.9), known as Power 99, and his signature show, The Quiet Storm, was an engaging mix of music, shout-outs to listeners, and soothing commentary in his rich voice.

“He was a people person and community-oriented,” said Sunshine Brown, his wife and longtime producer. “He was able to make every listener feel special because, to him, they were.”

Fans on social media described Mr. Brown’s voice as “mesmerizing” and said his show was “the soundtrack of my youth.”

Mr. Brown, who nicknamed himself Anthony Chocolate, always opened his nighttime show with an original theme song, saying over soft music: “It’s on tonight. Get in the mood. Turn down the lights. Relax and let your troubles go. ... It’s love and music therapy that helps us deal with reality.”

He ended each show with a similar sign-off and added shout-outs to listeners who had called in that night.

Derrick Corbett, senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia Philadelphia, which owns WDAS and Power 99, called Mr. Brown “an exceptional talent and an example for us all.”

Jerry Wells, a longtime friend and former WDAS on-air personality, said Mr. Brown “was unmatched in creating a mood, and could floor you with his music.”

The oldest of six children, Mr. Brown was born on Dec. 6, 1945. He grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, joined the Air Force after high school, and worked for the Armed Forces Network radio station. In 1969, he enrolled at Temple University so he could play jazz on the college’s radio station, WRTI-FM (90.1).

Mr. Brown got a job at WDAS in 1972 as the station was expanding. At first, he called his show The Extrasensory Connection. But he changed it to The Quiet Storm later when that format of late-night soulful music, named after the title song on Smokey Robinson’s 1975 album, A Quiet Storm, became popular.

He was lured away to rival Power 99 in 1989 but returned to WDAS in 1997. Among his honors were the 1999 industry achievement award by Radio & Records magazine, the 2002 Vaughn Harper excellence in radio award, and the 2006 March of Dimes achievement in radio award.

Mr. Brown married his wife, Sunshine, in 1996. A teacher, she eventually quit that job and became Mr. Brown’s producer, spending each evening with him separated only by the glass window that divided their studios.

During those shifts, she fielded calls, monitored his social media, and made him laugh with silly gestures through the glass. In response, he dedicated a love song to her every night.

“He was my best friend,” Sunshine Brown said. “The moment he passed, at 3:15 in the morning, my heart skipped a beat.”

Mr. Brown was an accomplished cook who specialized in fried chicken, barbecue, and baked fish. He slept in most mornings due to his broadcast schedule, and liked to wind down after his programs by watching old TV shows and movies. He loved Star Trek and “beamed” listeners up, and used other terms made popular by that show throughout his own show.

Mr. Brown retired in 2018 after suffering a series of strokes. His colleagues at WDAS held a 45th-anniversary celebration for him in October 2017, and he said at the time: “I never imagined my radio career would span 45 years. But then again, I love it so much that I never thought of doing anything else.”

In addition to his wife, Mr. Brown is survived by a daughter, Kelli; sons Jason and Julian; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother; and other relatives. A son died earlier.

A private service is to be held later.