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 corporationsKNUS 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!

Hadn't seen or thought about this note in four decades, but there it was.  Good fun to see again and relive that moment of BJ105's rebound back to the top.  :-)

Cracked me up that Joe also saved one of my critique and guidance memos of HIS on air work!  Back then, Joe was a just barely twenty-something with loads of talent and passion for radio, as well as a pretty strong positive opinion of himself.  :-)  By the way, Joe's gone on to an extensive career as a natonally heard voice guy.  Among his many credits, if you've visited Disneyland or Disney World, you've no doubt heard Joe's voice over a loudspeaker! 

BJ105 Orlando was a great team effort by us all.  I provided guidance and inspiration best I could after putting 100% into the 6-10AM morning radio show every day.. 

One cool newspaper ad by our team promoted my BJ105 morning show by exactly duplicating the look of the front page of the local newspaper, the Orlando Sentinel, fonts and all.  . 

I remember many fun mornings and morning show guests in Orlando, including the day Playboy Magazine's current Playmate of the Month, Vicki Lasseter was my guest.  Above pic is how industry publication Radio & Records documented that morning.  Looked Vicki up this week on the "all knowing" web and delighted to see these days she's a married Mom, living in a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas.    

It's a special time for us.  47 years ago this week, we made it "official" at the Chapel of the Mirrors, Circus Circus Hotel & Casino here in Las Vegas!   Talk about a "traditional wedding," I'll never forget after he pronounced us man and wife, the preacher reached under his podium saying, "I recorded the whole ceremony on this cassette.  Would you like to buy it?"  What a hoot.  No place like Vegas.

Staying at the long gone Howard Hughes-owned Landmark Hotel, we dined across the street that night at the Villa De Este Restaurant.  It's now known as Piero's, one of the best of Las Vegas, and we go back to remember from time to time.     

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. 

While in the "old school mode," I found this 1970's shot not far away down the Las Vegas Strip at the old Sands Hotel.  She sure is pretty.  You agree?  .     .