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!

Since this was temporary for both of us, Jack was helping me find my next on air job.  Jack mentioned he'd introduce me to Jim Hilliard and George Johns, who were running a new company and needed on air help in Dallas at a new "adult" radio station called KVIL.  Didn't know George back then, but nice dude Jim Hilliard had been my Program Director at WFIL Philadelphia a few years earlier!  In the meantime, I'd also found a job opening too in Minnesota's Twin Cities for a Top 40 morning show.  So which one to choose?

Check out the cover below of that week's well-respected Time Magazine.  "The Good Life In Minnesota!"  That's the Governor on that cover photo.  So it was off to KDWB-AM 630, St. Paul-Minneapolis!

I hopped in my car, wearing shorts and a t-shirt in Miami and started the non-stop drive north.  When I arrived in St. Paul, the temperature was 33 degrees!  George Johns confessed to me years later that he'd come to work, check the national weather, and if it was rainy, snowy, cloudy, or just generally crappy, he'd call me and ask "How you liking it up there???"  He'd never call on a beautiful day. :-)  I met some great people in the Twin Cities, but I knew pretty quickly that I'd made the wrong choice and left for "Big D" after only about 90 days. 

Here's the on-air studio at KDWB.

One funny, or maybe sad moment in my short Twin Cities radio career was when KDWB asked me to do a personal appearance as the Ringling Brothers Circus arrived in town.  Joining me was Miss Saint Paul wearing her pretty white pants suit.  Circus folks asked if she'd be OK lifted up and ride an elephant in the parade?  She was helped up to her perch while the poor elephants stood in the mud waiting, and even occasionally "relieving themselves" into that mud puddle.   I just about fell over when the elephant leaned down, sucked up a gallon or so of that puddle with his trunk, then blew it onto his back to cool off!  Poor Miss Saint Paul's pant suit went from stunning white to spotted brown, and I'm sure she didn't think that moment was nearly as funny as I did.        

We were watching a Samantha Brown PBS travel show about Modena Italy, hometown of Luciano Pavarotti.  Reminded me of this amazing video from almost exactly 24 years ago, May 28, 2002.  If you've heard it, you know, but if not, stand by to be blown away like I was!  When I learned of this song, I couldn't wait to feature it on my SoCal morning radio show back in 2010.  James Brown on world tour in Modena Italy, and Luciano Pavarotti joins him onstage to sing a duet of Brown's hit, "This Is A Man's, Man's World."  Click here to be astounded!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaB9F3R9cIY&list=RDGaB9F3R9cIY&start_radio=1    

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.  :-)

Mrs. Gardner, still a regular daily watcher of "The Price Is Right," on CBS TV.  Above, that's gorgeous Amber Lancaster, one of "The Price Is Right" models that makes watching a little more fun and easier to pay attention!  .