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Bill Austin passes

Man, I hate writing this...Bill Austin lost his battle with cancer this morning at 10AM.

Not only a great morning radio guy, a great guy, period, who I had the pleasure of bumping into out in the field when we were both TV reporters in the 80s and in the hallways when KTVK and KEZ were co-owned and in the same building on 7th Ave.

RIP, Bill.
 
Great entertainer on and off the air. A tip of the fez for all the laughs and memories!
 
michael hagerty said:
Man, I hate writing this...Bill Austin lost his battle with cancer this morning at 10AM.

Not only a great morning radio guy, a great guy, period, who I had the pleasure of bumping into out in the field when we were both TV reporters in the 80s and in the hallways when KTVK and KEZ were co-owned and in the same building on 7th Ave.

RIP, Bill.
Click to expand...

Amen. He always had time to talk to me, even though he didn't need to give me the time of day. He'll be missed.
 
Seems like only a month or two that he left "The Beth & Bill Show" on KEZ. He must have the stiffest lip in the biz 'cause I've never heard a word from him or his former co-workers that he was off the air due to cancer. Truly a great loss. :(
 
landtuna said:
Seems like only a month or two that he left "The Beth & Bill Show" on KEZ. He must have the stiffest lip in the biz 'cause I've never heard a word from him or his former co-workers that he was off the air due to cancer. Truly a great loss. :(
Click to expand...

Bill's last show was February 25.
 
Thanks to the moderator for combining the thread, better one sad thread than two.

:'(
 
It's sad. And you don't know what to say. It's a tribute to the respect that his friends and co-workers had that his condition never became public. I'll remember bill austin as a kid, running up the side stairs to the studio to do his weather cut-ins in the early days at the KFYI crack house. Then at clear channel he was always good for a few laughs in the hallways. A very real and genuine person. Rare in radio.
 
The number of people in this market who have ever done 20 years at the same station is small. To have done so in the changing landscape of the past 20 years is beyond remarkable and speaks to Bill's ability (along with Beth) to connect with the audience in such a way that management understood it should not be tampered with.

I'm sure, had his body allowed it, Bill could have done 30 years at KEZ...and retired with big ratings and an audience that still wanted more.
 
I'm so saddened by this news today.

I might not have been an everyday listener, but I do know that we were lucky to have the Beth & Bill morning show for nearly twenty years. I grew up seeing them every morning on 3TV, practically... They have been a HUGE part of Phoenix for the past two decades!

I'm so sad that Bill has passed away and had not been able to enjoy more of his retirement.

My condolences to his family and KEZ radio family.
 
I'm a newbie to Arizona, relatively speaking.

Just heard the news on the radio from Monica Nelson.

God bless you Bill Austin for your kindness, genuiness and wonderful humor you brought to KEZ.

Echoing Beth's Comments.

RIP, big guy.

Thanks for the wonderful listening years.
 
And another Phoenix radio giant has signed off the air.
Godspeed, Bill, and thanks for all the good radio - and weather-casts on TV.
RIP :'(
 
What's even more amazing than staying at one station for 20 years, is the fact that they've kept a such a loyal core of listeners, who have been tuned-in, every day, for 20 years.

Two girlfriends called me, crying, yesterday. Thousands of people felt like they'd lost a friend. What a positive impact that guy had in our community, and in our hearts!

I'm looking forward to "gathering around the radio" tomorrow, for the tribute to Bill Austin.

My condolences to Bill's longtime radio family at Clear Channel; our thoughts and prayers are with you.
 
Maybe the most praise a listener (who also is on air) can offer is that I never met Bill Austin, but I always felt I "knew" him. From all the comments on this board and elsewhere, it seems a lot of people felt the same way. If at the end of your life you have even a handful of people remember you kindly, that would be enough.

What a pro.

Scott Anderson
 
Funny guy, nice guy-- no ego-- how often do you get that combo? not often enough in Radio! I will miss him. :'(
 
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