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!

Radio & Records here announced some new "upgrades" to KNUS-FM, including adding me to take over the morning show. My "brush" with McClendon Radio in Dallas was brief, but at times, fun!  Mrs. Gardner and I were guests at the McClendon's Ranch "Cielo," but not with legendary Gordon McClendon, but son Bart who was now running the radio properties.  At Cielo, it was a day of meetings with Bart and my new fellow on-air KNUS team mates.  As night rolled around, Mrs. Gardner and I still laugh to this day about our night there.  All the rooms were named after Western Movie stars and we were to spend the night in the John Wayne Suite.  After tucking ourselves in, I felt a lipstick-sized lump sewn into our blanket and whispered to Mrs. Gardner that "we're probably bugged with a microphone."  So before falling asleep, we spent the last few waking minutes talking about what great hosts the McClendons were and the beauty of "Cielo."  Years later, I realized we were probably talking to the electric blanket heating unit.  :-)

I was teamed up on the KNUS morning show with super news guy and great dude Jack Hines, who'd worked previously with Dr. Don Rose at KFRC San Francisco.. Good effort by the McClendons, but their billboard below for us, although greatly appreciated, was not quite the "pizzazz" of KVIL's boards.   

Unlike KVIL,where "Adult Contemporary Radio" was belng born back then, KNUS was a flame throwing Top 40 Rock & Roll radio station.  And although we had success and plenty of upward progress, we couldn't beat mighty KVIL.  Bart McClendon shared some of his pride with the local Radio & TV columnist for the Dallas Morning News here:     . 

Zoom in and see industry publication Radio & Records highlight the growth of KNUS-FM Dallas on their front page here, although still one point behind KVIL, (whom they later called WVIL in the story. :-)  They also point

.     out that for the first time ever, legendary KLIF-AM was not the top rock and roll radio station in Dallas.. As you may know,  and KLIF and KNUS were sister stations, both owned by the McClendons.

Even when part of KVIL across town, I sure saw a zillion of these KNUS bumper stickers on Metroplex autos. 

KVIL's owner Fairbanks Broadcasting might have been slightly nervous about our upward progress at KNUS, and when they offered me a chance to rejoin their company as Jim Hilliard was about to take over WIBG in my home town of Philadelphia, I accepted and turned in two weeks notice.  Bart McClendon was SO unhappy that the last thing he ever said to me was, "I'm not going to pay you your final two week paycheck."  And he didn't.  That was my less than happy exit from KNUS 99FM Dallas.  

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. 

Did YOU have one of these Farrah Fawcett posters on your apartment wall too, just as I did?  Hard to believe this pretty lady has been gone 17 years already at a way too young 62.     .