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 Vega- 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!  There's different stories and different radio stations each week.  See some fun posts you may have missed!

 

All those great SuperBowl pictures this week of "The City By The Bay" reminded me of my time taking K-101 San Francisco to the top as Program Director and Morning Man.  Here's how Billboard described our move from Del Mar up to Half Moon Bay.       

   

Although we lived in a little A-Frame on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Half Moon Bay Airport, I learned that it was $35/month to keep our Beech Bonanza over at all-weather San Francisco International instead of $100/month at frequently fogged-in Half Moon Bay Airport.  I got to know the tower guys and frequently heard them say, "Welcome home Bill" when they'd clear us to land on SFO's runway two eight left or right.  :-)

Great successes in bringing K-101 to the top of music stations in the ratings, behind only the two news talk stations.  I love where Billboard says we "made a big leap!"

  

    

Sad news this week with the loss of two music legends I'd met and played on the radio over the years.  I first saw the Fifth Dimension one night in 1967 when the whole group surprised me with a visit to KLZ-FM Denver during my 4-8PM show on America's first Top 40 station on FM.  LaMonte McLemore was not only that tall handsome guy in the group, but before that, a professional photographer and even a pro baseball player who met Marilyn McCoo and Florence LaRue while he photographed the "Miss Black California" pageant, and convinced both to join that new group he was forming!  LaMonte McLemore was 90 and lived here in Las Vegas.  

 

I had the pleasure to interview and get to know Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night in three visits to my morning show at KOOL 94.5 Phoenix. I've heard it said that Chuck's "Jeremiah was a bullfrog!" is the most recognizable opening line in all of rock and roll.   If you've got eleven minutes, click on "Bill Gardner Interviews" above, and then Chuck Negron to hear what a genuinely nice guy Chuck Negron was.  We lost Chuck this week in his early 80's. His hard to find and pricey autobiography "Three Dog Nightmare" is probably the most compelling and jaw-dropping book I've read!   He was kind enough to send me an autographed copy when I told him I'd loaned my original copy out to someone that never returned it.  Chuck was a wonderful, fun dude.   

Cool Pic of the Day....

Half a pint down, still celebrating my tapping of a brand new keg here at Casa Gardner in Las Vegas of my all time favorite, Smithwick's Irish Red Ale.  When my old dear late friend and former WIBG Philadelphia Program Director Jackson T. Reynolds heard I was going to Ireland back in 2002 with a group of KOOL Phoenix listeners, he said, "Billy...  I know you're  a beer guy.  When you get to Ireland you've GOT to try this awesome beer called Smithwick's!"  Was Jackson ever correct.  My LAST keg was a birthday gift back in September from my beautiful brother Andre. Yeah those kegs can last a pretty long time. Maybe.  :-)

 

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.  :-)

Is it me or are clothing ads getting sexier every day?  Here's another pretty lady from the margins of one of my email checks one day this week.