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!

Summer 1967.  I'm on the air at little WIRK, West Palm Beach, Florida; but I heard that WFIL had lost their morning guy Chuck Browning.  After sending a sample of my on air work, I was SO excited when Program Director Jim Hilliard called me for the first time!  "I loved your aircheck!  You were probably my second choice for this job, but I've decided to hire a guy named Dr. Don Rose from Atlanta," said Jim.  Honestly a brilliant choice!  I wasn't ready yet.  But a year later when I was one of 32 hired and then fired in Philly by Paul Drew over at WIBG, I went right to see Jim Hilliard and I was thrilled to become the WFIL fill-in guy!  Later we'd go our separate ways, but in 1974, eight years after WFIL I was back on the phone for a second time with Jim Hilliard negotiating a starting salary for what he called "a little station we've bought in Dallas called KVIL-FM & AM."  KVIL would go on to become one of the biggest successes in both ratings and revenue in America and one of the most admired and copied.  I spent the better part of the next twenty years with Fairbanks Broadcasting, including below, when Jim shrewdly purchased WIBG Philadelphia, the once top station he'd defeated from crosstown WFIL.  That's me on air at "All New WIBG,"    

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The persona and sense of humor of Jim Hilliard brings out the best in all of us.  Zoom in on this note I saved below and see how Jim welcomed me back to WIBG and Fairbanks Broadcasting. Yeah, before the Internet and emails, we used to actually send one another notes by U.S. Mail.   :-)     . 

My third phone call with Jim Hilliard was this week, and not only does he sound as great as ever, he sounds like he could immediately resurrect his on air role as "Jimmy Darren" as you see him in this Bay Area California music survey I saw online, (next to Larry Lujack). 

Jim said so many nice things about me and my on air work on our phone call this week.  I hated for it to end.  He's an amazing guy.  Always was.  Still is.  And I'm happy to tell you he's doing great!  And I look forward to phone call number four.  :-)

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If you're ever east of San Diego at In N Out Burger at 9414 Mission Gorge Road, be sure and step outside to see that you're standing where this monument and a legendary radio station once stood! 

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 no exception here. 

It's a short list of those who's picture need no identification.  You know who she is.  The world's a llittle less cool this week.  Count me among those who'll miss her.  She knew how to be a star, but still be a caring, good spirited person we all love.  R. I .P.          .