Bill Gardner

What Are These Trophies???

In February 2024, well-respected National Radio Consultant Mike McVay told me, "You have done it all.  Bill Gardner understands radio more than most ever did.....or will." Thanks Mike! 

Legendary radio programmer and former Exec VP NBC-FM Stations  Walter Sabo just told me, "Mike Phillips said you were the best AC jock alive, and he was right!"  Thanks Walter!  (On the air as Walter Sterling, currently national talk show personality by the way).

Another of America's leading radio consultants and a national name you radio guys know, (not George Johns, by the way), humorously calls Bill Gardner "the best radio morning man in America NOT currently on the air!"  We protect his confidence.  Ask and I'll whisper his name to you.

During the halcyon days at KOOL-FM Phoenix with General Manager Clancy Woods and Program Director Tim Maranville, our many number one "25-54 adults and 12+ persons" rating "books" were rewarded with these personalized trophies, still proudly displayed here at our home. Bill Gardner's ability to "remain under the radar," (amazingly sometimes even to his own consultants and management), has allowed him to "sneak into a situation," and enjoy some of the most defense- free, dramatic turnarounds, and a 100% success record as morning personality and program executive! 

 

An Exact Fit For Your Job Needs?

Bill Gardner has been an "immediate impact player" in Adult Contemporary, Country, Oldies, Classic Hits, and Rock & Roll radio.  There's "easy-to-document" success* as a Drive Time On Air Personality, a VP/Programming or Program Director, even President/General Manager while owner-operator of an Arizona AM/FM combo, many times assuming both senior programming and morning drive on air roles simultaneously back when doing both was thought to be impossible :-)  And this "easy-to-document success" doesn't happen some of the time...it happens every time!

(*Search or ask for your copy of the Arizona Republic July 31, 1999, article where with virtually no other change in KOOL 94.5 mornings other than hiring Bill Gardner, the Spring 1999 ratings "book" their radio and TV columnist detailed Bill Gardner with "the biggest gain in Valley radio," almost immediately moving from 13th to 4th most popular morning show in Phoenix."  Soon after to be #1 25-54!)

Bill Gardner On The Air!

You've found the site for airchecks, interview samples, resume, letters of recommendation and more for legendary radio morning guy Bill Gardner, for almost a decade through 2008 the top-rated morning personality of KOOL-FM Phoenix, as well as morning personality and program director for Los Angeles area's 92.7 Jill FM through summer 2010.

And a special thank you to the many KOOL 94.5 Phoenix listeners who've sought me out via search engines and sent emails to my email address below.  Even after more than ten years, new emails continue to arrive in my inbox!  Really!  Your thoughts and loyalty are genuinely appreciated!  It's nice to be missed, especially when I wasn't given a chance to say goodbye on air!

 

 Bill Gardner IN The Air!

I enjoyed a wonderful forty-five year radio career in some of America's biggest radio stations and greatest cities.  (See the list by clicking "resume" at the top of the center column if you like).  But when bottom-feeding corporations slashed radio salaries and replaced most of us with lower cost people or recorded or out of town recorded voices, I'm SO fortunate to also have that Airline Transport Pilot license and join a small airline here in Las Vegas for almost nine years.   Until my recent retirement, my position was as an Airline Captain, with 4AM breakfast in progress pictured below.. It was fun to be in a profession where gray hair and plenty of experience are actually appreciated!  :-)  But when I realized it wasn't as much fun anymore, I'm gone!

FUN Web Search?

Web site archive!  Enter billgardnerontheradio.com, or koolradio.com at www.archive.org and see posts dating back to my decade doing mornings at KOOL 94.5 Phoenix!

June 1994.  I'm flying as First Officer for Scenic Airlines at Las Vegas McCarran Airport and my phone rings.  "How would you like to go back to San Francisco on-air for a fill-in position doing mornings at country KSAN-FM until they figure out what they're going to do?"  GM Eddie Esserman says, "We'll put you up in a Telegraph Hill condo on the 21st floor and pay your aviation fuel for that Twin Cessna commute home each weekend."  I tell them I can cockpit jump seat for free sometimes on United, Southwest, or America West.  Scenic Airlines says I can shift to weekends only for awhile. It's a deal!   And there begins my Summer without a day off!   Good dude GM Eddie decided to play along with the airline theme and tells his assembled staff that he "heard a Delta Airlines Captain on the P. A. on his flight in, and he sounded so good he decided he'd also be great on the radio!  That's our new morning man!"  

   

What a view I had out the window of that condo.  San Francisco is truly one of the most visually beautiful cities   That's Coit Tower on the left.

    

Here's what I saw every morning that summer when I'd walk over to KSAN-FM's studios at 750 Battery Street near the Embarcadero.  Quite a set up, huh? 

Even got to let the airlines fly Bill Taylor and me down to Orange County Airport, then to Anaheim for a couple mornings live broadcasts from Disneyland that year.  That's Bill Taylor on the left and me at our remote set up at the Magic Kingdom. 

 

Every Friday, I'd don my airline pilot uniform at KSAN-FM.  When the show ended at 10AM, Bill Taylor would whisk me to SFO, where I'd run through the terminal and hop onto a cockpit jump seat on the first airliner bound for Las Vegas on Southwest, United, or America  West.  I'd fly a couple trips for Scenic Airlines on the weekend, then return to San Francisco Sunday, ready for Monday morning's radio show.  It was an amazing, busy, and fun summer with the bonus of two full time paychecks!  

Cool Pic of the Day....

Remembering creative genius Beach Boy Brian Wilson who just passed at 82.  Played his songs on the radio thousands of times all across America.  Never got to meet him.  Wish I had.  Close as I got? Have his autograph! I interviewed Beach Boys Mike Love and Bruce Johnson on KOOL 94.5 Phoenix one morning.  They were great guys and kind enough to send me several cool pieces of memorabilia, including this photo signed with autographs and even a cool written "thank you!"  It's still proudly posted at our home in Las Vegas.  You can click on the "Bill Gardner Interviews....." tab above if you like and hear that interview!  

 

Those Beautiful Girls Keep On Coming!

 "If you want people to visit your web site, you'd better have a picture of a beautiful girl!"  One of my favorite quotes from my friend and radio consultant the late George Johns (www.georgejohns.com).   As always,  I take George's lessons to heart.

Am I lucky or what?  How about TWO beautiful girls who share their Father's Day love with me?  That's my bride of almost fifty years "Mike" up front, and daughter Crystal as we share some cocktails at the Bourbon House Bar on Bourbon Street New Orleans.  We were celebrating Crystal's 50th birthday, and husband Steve kind enough to snap a picture of the festivities.    .