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!

It started in my early teen years at 9 Pinewood Drive, seen above!  Like my brother Andre, "Shotgun Tom" Kelly, and many other radio guys, it's a little, (make that VERY little), home made broadcast station in my bedroom!  Back then, I spent most of my paper route earnings buying the latest hit records and had a pretty good collection.  But this time, I spent about $10 to buy a Radio Shack AM broadcast transmitter.  The instructions said "make certain the transmitting antenna is three feet or less of wire so you wont broadcast too far, illegally."  So I bought 50 feet of copper wire and wrapped it from my bedroom, to high on a huge pine tree in our back yard!  :-) 

Back then, my BFF Pete Jacobus and I were pretty much doing everything together.  When I told him about my radio station idea we decided to name it after ourselves...Pete and Bill...WPB.  Pete became "Peter Scott" and is seen below playing the hot hits, as Pete and I hoped we didn't outnumber our neighborhood WPB audience.

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Not too long ago while we laughed about those days over the phone, Pete told me he was mailing me something but wouldn't say what.  What a hoot when I opened my mail and saw what is probably the rarest radio station t-shirt ever!  Pretty sure only one exists.  A WPB Radio t-shirt modeled below by former WPB DJ Bill Gardner with his eyes closed, no doubt blinded by non-stop paparazzi flashes. :-)     . 

We even had "WPB Pick Hits."  For the life of me, I can't figure out where I got this record that never charted, but we were proud to play it as our WPB Pick Hit, "Tell Me Baby" by the Norelkos.  It never charted.  I must have gotten it free somewhere.  How good was it?  Have a listen by clicking here:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IskjNL7H3eI&list=RDIskjNL7H3eI&start_radio=1

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I quickly snapped this one afternoon as a San Diego city bus went by our apartment on Lake Murray Boulevard, so it's a bit blurry.  "Stick A Gardner In Your Ear, 6-9AM, KCBQ."  

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. 

Meet our new, just crowned Miss USA Justus Kelley!  Pretty Justus established a couple "firsts."  First, she's a Mom of two, so she's not really a "Miss" by their old rules.  Married ladies are now permitted.  Also, the maximum age of 27 was scrubbed just in time for 31 year old Justus.   Fun fact, MY Mom won a "Miss Philadelphia" something crown years ago and was then disqualified when they discovered she was married!  :-)     .