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!

 

These are definitely new, pictures alright, with two old radio GUYS, both downsized by twenty-first century radio's plan to eliminate anybody on-air earning more than minimum wage.  :-)  Almost 90 years on air radio experience between us two radio blokes. What a delight with my brother Andre Gardner and lovely wife Paige visiting us in Las Vegas!  Here they are at the Venetian Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.   That's indoors, by the way.  

   

I usually update this website on Friday afternoons, but with Andre and Paige arriving, that explains the update last Thursday.   

We crammed a lot of fun and great times into a long weekend, and we miss them both already!   Below, here's the four of us coming out of the Red Rock Hotel & Casino on Las Vegas far west side. 

  

    

 Knowing I too am a "beer guy," years ago Andre introduced me to his all time favorite beer, Chimay Blue, or Chimay Grande Reserve Belgian Ale.  It's actually made and actually brewed in Belgium by Trappist Monks!  When choosing a spot for our Saturday afternoon meal and more, I chose The Yard House with it's 100+ beers on tap including Chimay Blue!   That's Andre enjoying his first ever Chimay on draught!      

 

Speaking of "on draught....."  Have to admit, plenty of beer was consumed over the weekend.  Last September for my birthday, Andre and Paige gifted me with a keg of MY personal favorite, Smithwick's Irish Red Ale. A keg lasts a long time. You can see by our smiles that it's a fine brew, as we tapped my home kegerator last weekend to certify that fact.   

Cool Pic of the Day....

I've known MIchael "X" Rey for over fifty years, since our days working at the once dominant KVIL FM & AM HIghland Park, Dallas, Ft. Worth in early 1974.  The amazing and multi-talented "X" Rey has since been a many decades fixture of the Los Angeles and SoCal radio community and we've stayed in touch.  This past week, he coincidentally sent me a WZZD "Wizzard 100" Philadelphia music survey with a very familiar name showing up on that 2AM-6AM radio slot!  For those who don't know, when 990 WIBG AM Philadelphia did it's final farewell, it morphed into "Wizzard 100." and Andre Gardner was a part of that on air team.    

 

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.  :-)

I think I discovered this beautiful lady with a Google search, labeled "Blonde Bombshell."  Anyone disagree?  :-)    .