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!

 Over almost a decade, things were good!  We were always in the top five in the Phoenix ratings and often number one!  KOOL was billing over $50K A DAY. I was even among big name nominees for Radio Personality of the Year again, below.  But sadly, that's imporatant to corporate "bean counters" in today's radio. For them, it's "cut, cut, cut."  

They tell me I was among 250 radio people that were let go by CBS Radio in that mass firing from CBS stations coast to coast.  See it in the Radio & Records "Black Thursday" story posted below.  And it would happen every six months at CBS Radio, regardless of how successful the radio station or personality was, hundreds would lose their jobs.  Ironically, a face from the press release above, my long time pal "Shotgun Tom" Kelly was also among many who were also let go not long after me.  One of the worst parts of how CBS handled it was telling the press that "Shotgun Tom" was promoted to "KRTH Ambassador."  Which meant they could slash his pay down to union scale and essentially just send him out to do remote call-in broadcasts each Saturday.  In my case, CBS just stonewalled callers and other inquiries to "where's Bill Gardner?"  That's one reason I began this website. :-)

Zooming in on the R & R story, you can see my pal and our evening guy Dave Shannon was also among the casualties from KOOL-FM Phoenix. Dave moved back to his hometown, Wolf Point, Montana, and we're still regularly in touch these days. "RIF's" are not limited to CBS, obviously.  As a matter of fact, my brother Andre Gardner was a casualty from Beasley's WMGK-FM Philadelphia awhile back after well over 20 years there!   Sadly, Dave and I and Andre and many others say "Good riddance to radio and the way it's run today."  But it sure was fun for all of us during the years we were there!  

Celebrating America's 250th this week, the Air Force Thunderbirds flying team has done some performances over our city.  Love this pic that showed up in our local newspaper as the team passed above the iconic sign on Las Vegas Boulevard. 

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.  :-)

Keeping our theme of admiring the Red, White, and Blue this week.  Join me in enjoying this pretty lady's smile...and all the rest.  Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue!     .