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!

 

Had an "Oh Wow!" moment this week.  Can the WOGL-FM Philadelphia "Philly Legends Radio Reunion" really be thirty years ago?!?!

   

Yep!  It was May of 1996 when WOGL-FM Philly Program Director Scott Walker and Promotions Director Cindy Webster showed a lot of amazing skills, planning, and a lot of work in assembling all of us for some amazing radio, great times, and even some cool pictures to remember one fun weekend.

That's Cindy on the left, Scott on the right and between them, the WFIL Famous 56 boss jocks, like Jim Nettleton, me in the back, Dick Heatherton, Dave Parks, Jay Cook, and J. J. Jeffrey. Yeah it's a long thirty years ago alright. Not sure about Dick Heatherton, but sadly Jim, Dave, Jay, and J.J. are no longer with us.

  

    

I think what surprised me most was the fierce competitve spirit between WFIL and WIBG that still existed all those years later with some of the attendees!  They still didn't like each other.  :-) 

I worked at both WIBG and WFIL and liked and got along with both crews of on air legends.  No problem for me.  

Below, some WIBG memories.  Ray Gilmore (on the right) and I are still around, but again Ken Matz and Don Cannon are both gone.    

 

Don't know everyone in this photo, but this one adds two more huge Philly Radio Legends to Ray, Dave, me, Dick and J.J., Dr. Don Rose and Ed Hurst both up front center.      

Cool Pic of the Day....

Saved this group picture for last that adds and includes Philly Radio Legends like Georgie Woods, Bill Wright Sr., George Michaels, Tom Moran, and some others I didn't get to meet who weren't in any of the previous shots.  Not sure how I got "front and center."  I'm usually "the tall guy in the back." :-)    

 

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.  :-)

Get used to this pretty face.  Ella Langley was the big winner last week at the Academy of Country Music Awards here in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  I think I heard she won seven, most ever for any artist in a single year.  Ella won every award she was nominated for, including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.  A little research showed she's from Hope Hull, Alabama, and did her first performances to the cows on her parents farm!     :-) Want to see Ella perform?  Click here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg47eNL_Usw&list=RDDg47eNL_Usw&start_radio=1  .