Bill Gardner

What Are These Trophies???

Not long ago, 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!  The amazingly humble HRHOF Inductee Mike McVay said "YOU are the one who should be in the National Radio Hall of Fame.  Seriously!"  Thanks again 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 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!  There's different stories and different radio stations each week.  See some fun posts you may have missed!

 

Early 1968.  It had been almost three years since I arrived in Denver at KLZ-FM, launching America's first rock and roll radio station on the FM dial. My hometown Philly radio was shaken up with the arrival of WFIL competing with legendary WIBG.  And I thought, "Maybe there's a place for ME!"  Fired off an aircheck of my show and boom...PD Paul Drew hired me for overnights for the princely sum of $250 a week and for the only time in my life, I was renamed... "Mike Taylor!"  But I was on air in my hometown Philly on the station I grew up listening to!   But what a year to come. :-)   

   

Always laughed at two things here on this form... First, their "creative accounting" to show how my $250 per week was calculated.  And then the spot on this form that says, "Replaces Hyman A. Lit."  NOBODY replaces Hy Lit, but, oh no, Paul Drew had fired Philly legend "Hy-ski!"  

They tell me Drew went through 32 people on air in about a year, and almost as quickly, I was one of 'em.  Paul Drew compliments were few.  That's probably why I saved this memo.  Probably also why I turned him down seven years later when they flew me out to San Francisco and tried to lure me to KFRC.  :-)

  

    

 Over at WFIL, Program Director Jim Hilliard and I had talked when Jim sought a new morning man one year earlier.  Jim told me then, "You're my second choice, but I'm going to hire Dr. Don Rose."  VERY wise move, but now I became the official WFIL fill-in guy!  (Can you read the schedule below on the WFIL studio bulletin board?)  That's ace engineer Freddie Moore through the glass from the "on air" seat at Famous 56, WFIL. 

Program Directors change, and with the new WFIL PD, I was job seeking again.  Above, my third Philly area radio station in less than a year!  It's Merv Griffin's, WMID Atlantic City where I did weekend overnights until I could find another full time real position, soon to be middays at WHB Kansas City, Missouri.        

Cool Pic of the Day....

I love to laugh and must admit, this one made me laugh this week. Coming up on two years retiring from airline captain.  But if you go to Grand Canyon Airlines website and look at their employment page, there's a familiar airline captain pictured in the upper left...that's me!  I guess I still LOOK the part.  :-) 

 

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.  I had a fun and excellent 40+ year radio career with plenty of it following good advice from George, so here we go again.  :-)

Three cheers for my former KCBQ San Diego team mate Gary Kelley, who now operates online Grown Up Radio San Diego.  Not sure how Summer Steele sounds, but I know for sure she helps the radio station look outstanding!  Check out Gary's station with a click at: https://live365.com/station/Grown-Up-Radio-San-Diego-a87967 

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NOTE!  With the sad news this week of music legend Neil Sedaka passing at age 86, PLEASE go up to "Bill Gardner Interviews" above right, and catch my visit with Neil.  A gracious and fun superstar!