A life in Harmony Ralph Strobel’s Musical Journey from Idaho to Elvis
Story Idea Submitted by Bobbi Kelley, Regional Sales Specialist
At Cedar Creek of Muncie, resident Ralph Strobel lives a quieter life these days, but his story is anything but ordinary. A gifted woodwind musician with a career that spanned symphony halls and recording studios, Ralph once stood behind the microphone in RCA’s legendary Studio B — recording with none other than Elvis Presley. His journey to that moment began in the fifth grade, when Ralph first took piano lessons. That year of study introduced him to reading both treble and bass clefs, skills that would prove invaluable as he moved on to other instruments. By age 11, he had a clarinet, purchased by his parents for $27.50 — a significant investment in 1952. “I liked the clarinet, but other woodwind instruments fascinated me,” Ralph recalls. He soon added oboe and saxophone to his repertoire, performing in marching band, pep band, dance band, symphony orchestra, and concert ensembles throughout high school. After graduating from Coeur d’Alene High School in Idaho in 1958, Ralph followed his passion to the University of Idaho, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance in 1962. His major instrument was the oboe, which he studied with the principal oboist of the Spokane Symphony. That connection led to his first professional opportunity, performing as the orchestra’s second oboist at just 18 years old.
A graduate assistantship at the University of Michigan allowed Ralph to pursue a master’s degree while teaching oboe and bassoon. He completed the degree in 1964, continuing to build his career through both education and performance. But it was a phone call in August of that year that changed the course of his life. A new music school, the Blair Academy of Music (now part of Vanderbilt University), was opening in Nashville. Ralph was offered a position to teach oboe and bassoon, and he moved to Tennessee to join both the Blair faculty and the Nashville Symphony. “I didn’t know what was next, but that call gave me my next chapter,” he says.
Then, another unexpected opportunity arrived.
In February 1965, RCA Studios reached out about a recording session. An oboist had backed out of a scheduled session and Ralph’s name was recommended. The session? The soundtrack for Harum Scarum, a new film starring Elvis Presley.
“The sessions were scheduled for February 24–26, starting each night at 10 p.m.,” Ralph says. “Since I’m a night owl, that was fine with me.”
CEDARHURST SENIOR LIVING | SUMMER FLOURISH 2025 12
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs