The Washington, D.C., broadcasting and music communities are mourning the death of Angela Marie Stribling, the celebrated radio personality, television host, jazz vocalist and voiceover artist whose unmistakably warm voice reached audiences for decades.
Stribling died peacefully at home on Saturday, September 26, 2026, following a courageous two-year battle with brain cancer.
Her death was confirmed by her husband, Ken Washington, Ph.D., in a statement released through WHUR 96.3 FM.
Washington said he and Angela’s sister, Darlene, were beside her when she died.
For generations of listeners across the Washington metropolitan area, Stribling was much more than a broadcaster.
Her voice became closely associated with late-night radio, romance, jazz and the legendary Quiet Storm tradition that grew from Howard University’s WHUR.
Her influence stretched far beyond Washington.
She became one of BET’s recognizable early television personalities, helped launch BET Jazz, performed internationally as a jazz singer, worked as an actress and built a successful career as a national voiceover artist.
Now, colleagues, listeners, musicians and longtime friends are remembering both the accomplished woman audiences knew and the generous, encouraging friend they knew personally.
Who Was Angela Stribling?
Angela Stribling was an American broadcaster, television personality, jazz vocalist, actress and voiceover artist whose career crossed several areas of entertainment.
She was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, but Washington, D.C., became central to her professional life.
Her broadcasting journey eventually made her one of the most recognizable female voices in Washington-area radio.
Stribling worked at stations including WOL and WHUR and became particularly associated with WHUR’s legendary Quiet Storm tradition.
Television audiences knew her from BET, while jazz audiences encountered another dimension of her talent through recordings and international performances.
She successfully moved between radio, television and music without allowing any single medium to completely define her.
Angela Stribling Died September 26, 2026
Angela Stribling died on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Her husband confirmed that she passed away peacefully at home.
The announcement was released publicly the following day through WHUR.
For listeners who had spent years hearing Angela’s voice over Washington airwaves, the news brought an immediate outpouring of grief.
Her passing also deeply affected former BET colleagues and people throughout the wider broadcasting industry who had known her over several decades.
Angela Stribling Cause of Death
Angela Stribling’s cause of death was related to brain cancer.
According to her husband, she had been courageously battling the disease for approximately two years.
She ultimately died peacefully at home with loved ones beside her.
Unlike many early obituary reports that initially did not include a cause, WHUR’s official announcement provided direct confirmation from her husband.
That clarification allows her cause of death to be reported without speculation.
Husband Ken Washington Confirms Her Passing
Ken Washington described announcing his wife’s death with a broken heart.
He confirmed that Angela’s sister Darlene was also present during her final moments.
The statement offered a deeply personal glimpse into what had otherwise been a largely private health battle.
Although Angela spent decades in public life, she and those closest to her did not turn every aspect of her illness into a public story.
That privacy allowed attention throughout much of her career to remain focused on the things she loved: broadcasting, music, relationships and serving others.
Angela Stribling and WHUR
Angela’s relationship with 96.3 WHUR became one of the defining chapters of her career.
WHUR is operated by Howard University and has long occupied an important place in Black radio history.
Angela became part of that tradition through her distinctive voice and ability to connect personally with listeners.
She ultimately became the first woman to host WHUR’s Original Quiet Storm.
That distinction placed her within the history of one of the most influential radio formats created in Washington.
The Original Quiet Storm Legacy
The Original Quiet Storm began at WHUR in 1976 with broadcaster Melvin Lindsey.
Its blend of slow-tempo R&B, soul and intimate presentation eventually influenced radio stations across the country.
“Quiet Storm” became more than the title of one radio show.
It became the name of an entire musical programming format.
Angela later helped carry that tradition forward.
Her soothing vocal style was naturally suited to the intimate atmosphere that had made the program famous.
Angela Stribling and Melvin Lindsey
Angela had a particularly meaningful personal and professional relationship with Melvin Lindsey.
They were close friends.
They also worked together professionally, including hosting BET’s Screen Scene.
The pair additionally co-hosted On Time on WJZ-TV in Baltimore.
Their connection meant that Angela’s eventual involvement with The Original Quiet Storm had significance beyond merely taking over a radio shift.
She was helping preserve a tradition created by someone she had personally known and loved.
Pillow Talk With Angela
One of Stribling’s most recognizable later programs was Pillow Talk With Angela on WHUR.
The late-night show combined music with conversations about love, relationships and life.
Rather than functioning merely as a playlist, the show gave Angela an opportunity to speak directly with listeners about deeply personal subjects.
In a 2021 interview, she explained that she genuinely cared about helping people improve their relationships and become happier in their lives.
That sense of service distinguished her broadcasting style.
Listeners were not simply an audience to her.
She viewed the microphone as an opportunity to connect with people.
Her Mission Was to Serve People
Angela once described what she considered her larger responsibility as a public personality.
Her philosophy was centered on service.
That attitude appeared repeatedly throughout her work.
On radio, she encouraged people dealing with relationship problems.
In interviews, she listened carefully to guests.
As a colleague, she became known for offering encouragement.
And through music, she attempted to create an emotional connection with audiences.
That combination of talent and compassion helps explain why tributes following her death have focused as much on her personality as on her résumé.
Angela Stribling’s Early Broadcasting Career
Stribling began her broadcasting career in Washington.
She worked as a news intern at WTTG-TV and WOL-AM.
At WOL, she gained experience across numerous areas of radio.
Her duties included programming, sales, sales management, on-air work and voiceover production.
That broad experience provided a foundation that would serve her throughout the rest of her career.
Rather than learning only how to sit behind a microphone, she learned how a radio operation worked from multiple perspectives.
Joining WHUR
Angela’s warm presentation style eventually attracted attention from Washington listeners.
She later landed an air shift at WHUR.
It became the beginning of a relationship with the station that would continue across different stages of her professional life.
Her voice became immediately suited to the station’s smooth R&B and adult programming.
Eventually, she became more than an on-air personality.
She became part of WHUR’s identity.
Angela Stribling’s BET Career
National television introduced Angela to an even larger audience.
She became one of the early on-air personalities associated with Black Entertainment Television.
Her path to BET reportedly began after she filled in for a friend on a Washington television program.
A producer from BET’s Video Soul saw her and invited her to audition.
She was initially hired as a relief host.
Within a short period, she was given a much larger opportunity.
Hosting Screen Scene
Angela spent approximately four years hosting BET’s Screen Scene, the network’s entertainment news program.
The program covered celebrities, movies, television and entertainment culture.
She worked alongside personalities including her longtime friend Melvin Lindsey.
Screen Scene established Angela nationally as a television host rather than simply a Washington radio voice.
Her ability to speak naturally with entertainers and audiences translated effectively from radio to television.
Working Around Video Soul
Angela also became associated with BET’s Video Soul era and filled in alongside personalities including Donnie Simpson.
That period was historically important for BET.
The network provided one of the most significant national television platforms for Black musicians, actors and entertainers at a time when mainstream television offered fewer opportunities.
Angela became one of the personalities viewers associated with that growing cultural platform.
Helping Launch BET Jazz
Angela’s passion for jazz eventually became directly connected with her television career.
She became an important participant in the development of BET Jazz.
The network gave jazz music a dedicated television platform and allowed Angela to combine two major parts of her identity: broadcasting and music.
She hosted several programs under the BET Jazz banner.
Jazz Central With Ramsey Lewis and Lou Rawls
One of those programs was Jazz Central.
Angela hosted the show alongside two major figures in American music: Ramsey Lewis and Lou Rawls.
The nightly program featured performances and interviews with internationally recognized jazz musicians.
For Angela, it was a natural fit.
She was not a television presenter pretending to understand jazz.
She was herself a trained jazz vocalist with deep respect for the music.
That background helped her interact naturally with the musicians appearing on the program.
BET Jazz Discovery and BET Jazz Scene
Angela also hosted BET Jazz Discovery, which highlighted emerging jazz musicians.
She additionally worked on BET Jazz Scene, a nationally televised program focused on developments within the jazz industry.
Those roles reinforced her position as an important media advocate for jazz at a time when the genre had limited national television exposure.
Baltimore Television Career
Angela also spent part of her television career in Baltimore.
She worked as a reporter for Evening Magazine on WJZ-TV.
She later co-hosted On Time, a weekly magazine program focusing particularly on Baltimore’s African American community.
Her television work therefore extended considerably beyond BET.
Angela Stribling Was Also a Jazz Singer
Broadcasting made Angela famous, but singing was among her earliest passions.
She discovered her love for music as a young child.
She received classical vocal training before developing her identity as a jazz singer.
Over time, she performed at major venues and traveled internationally.
Angela frequently emphasized that jazz was not merely something she covered as a broadcaster.
It was central to who she was as an artist.
Performing at the Blue Note
Among the venues associated with Angela’s music career was New York’s famous Blue Note jazz club.
Performing at the Blue Note carries particular significance for jazz musicians because of the venue’s association with generations of celebrated performers.
Angela’s experiences there eventually contributed to one of the recordings associated with her career.
Live at the Blue Note
Angela recorded Live at the Blue Note, one of the albums through which listeners could experience her as a vocalist rather than a broadcaster.
Her recording career demonstrated the same smoothness and warmth that audiences recognized from her radio voice.
But singing also gave Angela another avenue for artistic expression.
Tokyo Sundays
Another recording associated with Angela was Tokyo Sundays.
The title reflects her strong international connection with jazz audiences.
Her performance career took her well beyond the United States.
She appeared across Europe, Africa and Asia.
Countries connected with her international touring included Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, France, Italy, Korea, India and others.
International Jazz Career
Angela’s international travels expanded significantly after she was invited to perform in Asia in the early 2000s.
She participated in international jazz tours and developed audiences in countries where American jazz remained deeply appreciated.
These experiences gave her career a global dimension that casual American radio listeners might not have realized.
At home, she was a familiar voice on Washington radio.
Abroad, she could appear on stage as a jazz singer.
Performing With Legendary Artists
Angela performed with and around numerous internationally recognized musicians.
Her professional biography credits appearances with artists including Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.
She also collaborated or performed within circles involving musicians such as Najee, Marcus Johnson and others from the jazz and R&B world.
These experiences further reinforced the unusual breadth of her career.
Singing for President Bill Clinton and Robert De Niro
Angela’s biography also records a notable performance at a fundraiser connected with longtime New York Congressman Charles Rangel.
Among those present were President Bill Clinton and actor Robert De Niro.
It was another example of how her music career repeatedly brought her into prominent cultural and political environments.
National Voiceover Career
Many Americans may also have heard Angela without realizing whose voice they were hearing.
She built a successful career in commercial voiceover work.
Her professional credits included national radio and television campaigns for major companies and products.
Brands associated with her voiceover career included:
- Mercedes-Benz
- Prudential
- Time Life
- Colgate
- Folgers
Her naturally smooth delivery made her particularly suited to commercial narration.
Acting and Film
Angela also appeared in film and television roles.
Among the projects connected with her acting work was The Distinguished Gentleman, the 1992 political comedy starring Eddie Murphy.
Former colleagues later remembered how excited she had been after securing the opportunity.
Her acting work added yet another dimension to a career that already included radio, television, voiceovers and music.
Colleagues Remember Angela Stribling
Following news of her death, former colleagues across radio and television began sharing tributes.
Veteran journalist and former BET colleague Ed Gordon remembered the friendship they maintained even after their professional paths moved in different directions.
Others from radio described Angela as an inspiration and emphasized the generosity she showed toward fellow broadcasters.
The messages reflected relationships developed over decades.
WHUR Remembers a Remarkable Talent
WHUR General Manager Sean Plater remembered Angela not only for her extraordinary career but also for the way she treated people.
He described a broadcaster whose presence was calming and whose personality made others feel welcomed and valued.
That description appears repeatedly in remembrances of Angela.
The voice mattered.
The accomplishments mattered.
But people who knew her keep returning to her kindness.
A Beloved Friend
Angela’s friends have described her as someone who brought warmth into personal relationships.
Those tributes help explain why her death is being felt well beyond broadcasting.
A successful career can create admirers.
Kindness creates friends.
Angela had both.
For many people who worked with her, professional relationships became lasting personal friendships.
Her Husband Ken Washington
Angela is survived by her husband, Ken Washington, Ph.D.
His statement confirming her death revealed the depth of their relationship and the difficult health journey they shared during her final two years.
He was beside her when she died.
Her sister Darlene was also present.
The family has requested space to grieve while preparations are made to celebrate Angela’s life.
Angela Stribling Celebration of Life
A Celebration of Life will be held in Washington, D.C.
However, the exact date and venue have not yet been announced.
Ken Washington confirmed that details will be released later.
Until the family or WHUR provides that information, no unofficial service date or location should be treated as confirmed.
Current Angela Stribling Obituary Information
Full Name: Angela Marie Stribling
Known As: Angela Stribling
Birthplace/Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Major Professional Base: Washington, D.C.
Date of Death: September 26, 2026
Place of Death: At home
Cause of Death: Brain cancer
Length of Illness: Approximately two years
Husband: Ken Washington, Ph.D.
Sister: Darlene
Radio: WHUR 96.3 FM
Signature Program: Pillow Talk With Angela
Historic Role: First woman to host WHUR’s Original Quiet Storm
Television: BET, BET Jazz, WJZ-TV and other television work
Notable BET Program: Screen Scene
BET Jazz Programs: Jazz Central, BET Jazz Discovery and BET Jazz Scene
Profession: Broadcaster, television host, jazz vocalist, actress and voiceover artist
Albums: Live at the Blue Note and Tokyo Sundays
Celebration of Life: Planned for Washington, D.C.
Date and Venue: To be announced
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Angela Stribling dead?
Yes. WHUR and her husband, Ken Washington, confirmed that Angela Stribling died on September 26, 2026.
When did Angela Stribling die?
She died on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
What was Angela Stribling’s cause of death?
Angela died after a two-year battle with brain cancer.
Where did Angela Stribling die?
Her husband said she died peacefully at home.
Who was with Angela Stribling when she died?
Her husband, Ken Washington, and her sister, Darlene, were by her side.
Who is Angela Stribling’s husband?
Her husband is Ken Washington, Ph.D.
Where was Angela Stribling from?
She was originally from Buffalo, New York, and became strongly associated professionally with Washington, D.C.
Did Angela Stribling work for WHUR?
Yes. She was one of WHUR’s longtime personalities and became an important part of the station’s Quiet Storm legacy.
Was Angela Stribling the first woman to host The Original Quiet Storm?
Yes. WHUR identifies her as the first woman to host the legendary Original Quiet Storm.
What was Pillow Talk With Angela?
It was Angela’s late-night WHUR program combining music with conversations about relationships, love and life.
Did Angela Stribling work at BET?
Yes. She spent four years hosting Screen Scene and later became an important part of BET Jazz.
What programs did Angela Stribling host on BET Jazz?
Her programs included Jazz Central, BET Jazz Discovery and BET Jazz Scene.
Did Angela Stribling sing professionally?
Yes. She was a classically trained jazz vocalist who performed internationally.
Did Angela Stribling release albums?
Yes. Recordings associated with her career include Live at the Blue Note and Tokyo Sundays.
Did Angela Stribling perform with famous musicians?
Yes. Her professional biography includes performances and collaborations involving artists such as Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.
Have Angela Stribling’s funeral arrangements been announced?
A Celebration of Life is planned in Washington, D.C., but its date and venue have not yet been announced.
Final Tribute to Angela Stribling
Angela Stribling possessed the rare kind of voice that could make a large radio audience feel like a conversation was taking place between two people.
For decades, that voice traveled across Washington at night.
It introduced songs.
It discussed relationships.
It interviewed artists.
It sold products through national commercials.
It carried jazz from television studios to audiences around the world.
And when Angela stepped away from the microphone and onto a stage, that same voice became music.
Her life moved comfortably across worlds that many people spend entire careers trying to enter.
Radio.
Television.
Jazz.
Acting.
Voiceover.
Yet the tributes following her death have made something else equally clear.
Angela Stribling’s greatest impact cannot be measured only through programs hosted, stages performed on or broadcasts completed.
People remember how she treated them.
They remember her warmth.
They remember encouragement.
They remember her laugh.
They remember a woman who believed that having a public voice created an opportunity to serve others.
Angela died peacefully at home on September 26, 2026, after a two-year battle with brain cancer.
Her husband Ken and sister Darlene were beside her.
Her physical voice may have fallen silent, but decades of recordings ensure that it has not disappeared.
It remains in WHUR archives.
It remains in BET memories.
It remains in jazz recordings.
It remains in commercials and interviews.
And, most importantly, it remains in the memories of the husband, family members, colleagues, friends and listeners who knew the woman behind the microphone.
Washington lost one of its familiar voices.
Broadcasting lost a pioneer.
Jazz lost a passionate advocate and performer.
And many people lost a beloved friend.
Angela Marie Stribling will be remembered for the extraordinary range of her talent and for the warmth with which she shared it.