death of Bill Berlin

[deltas69]

If any haven't heard yet, Bill Berlin passed today. I never worked with him, but know he was a true pro and icon of the old rock days in Nashville. Old Bud will have more info than I..

 

[Tibbs4]

Very sad. One of the best voices ever in Nashville.

 

[scottwmro]

OH MAN! I loved Bill! Never knew him well. Kind of funny, back in the 80's, his daughter had a crush on me, but I was older and Bill wouldn't let us date. I'm sure she is married by now. I still liked Bill a whole lot and I think the current staff at 92Q should pay tribute to him. I hope Tony (Magic) Jackson monitors this board. Magic is still over at 92Q and he worked with Bill back in the 70's.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Bill and his family.

Scott

 

[SwissVol]

There was no teenager in Nashville in the mid to late sixties who did not know Bill Berlin's talents. Bill Berlin, Bob Cole, Noel Ball and Jim Eskew were always announcers that I thought had the golden voices of radio. Berlin also did progressive radio for a time. 92.1 experimented for a time with progressive radio. The station was day parted as I recall that left days with Doris Day music by day and Pink Floyd tunes by night. God that was a million years ago. Bill Berlin did those live shows from Micky Finn's in East Nashville as I recall also when that station was night progressive rock. 92.1 was never a serious threat to the powerful 103.3. No one in the seventies was going to touch 103.3. The job the people at 103.3 did to connect young Nashville hipsters to their station was nothing short of amazing. I remember reading from someone, I think it was here, but they posted that Bill Berlin had been ill.

 

[K4WRF]

I am deeply saddened to hear that, does anyone know funeral arrangements at this time? Bill was co-worker in three different ownership venues, always the pro and good friend. Sorry that we had lost contact over the years. Lot of good stories about Bill and I am sure they will be told later.

W/

 

[olebud]

This was in this mornings (10/24/) Tennessean:

A great Nashville voice is silenced

Fast-talking Bill Berlin, 61, the DJ known as "Wild Child" who was part of the Good Guys team on WKDA during the 1960s, died from lung cancer on Monday.
Bill, who was named one of the nation's top DJs by Esquire and GQ magazines during his heyday, also worked at WMAK and WQQK, as well as WSM-AM and its satellite station, TNNR.
"I met him before he went to disc jockey school," says his widow, Phyllis. "He always wanted to do that. It was his one love. He was actually very quiet except when he was on the radio."
As a teen in the early 1960s, Bill developed his speedy delivery after hearing a tape of New York's B. Mitchell Reed, known as the world's fastest-talking DJ. "He said, 'I can beat him,' " Phyllis says.
Bill worked WKDA's 8 p.m.-midnight shift and would sign off each night with, "No matter how bad things may seem or how lonely you may feel, as long as the ol' Wild Child's around, you'll never walk alone."
Bill, who lived in Portland, most recently worked for the state's General Services Department. I hope to have more details soon on the Nov. 3 memorial service.
------------------------------------
I met Bill when I first started hanging around WKDA with Lee Dorman. Lee got me started, Bill gave me a copy of his library of tapes with sfx and bumpers to use as I wanted when I finally got to a small station with a little freedom. We later worked together at WSM, which was strange hearing him do country, but he was always professional, he was always entertaining and informative, and he was a gentleman.
There aren't as many like him as there used to be. He'll be missed.
Buddy

 

[scottwmro]

This was in this mornings (10/24/) Tennessean:

A great Nashville voice is silenced

Fast-talking Bill Berlin, 61, the DJ known as "Wild Child" who was part of the Good Guys team on WKDA during the 1960s, died from lung cancer on Monday.
Bill, who was named one of the nation's top DJs by Esquire and GQ magazines during his heyday, also worked at WMAK and WQQK, as well as WSM-AM and its satellite station, TNNR.
"I met him before he went to disc jockey school," says his widow, Phyllis. "He always wanted to do that. It was his one love. He was actually very quiet except when he was on the radio."
As a teen in the early 1960s, Bill developed his speedy delivery after hearing a tape of New York's B. Mitchell Reed, known as the world's fastest-talking DJ. "He said, 'I can beat him,' " Phyllis says.
Bill worked WKDA's 8 p.m.-midnight shift and would sign off each night with, "No matter how bad things may seem or how lonely you may feel, as long as the ol' Wild Child's around, you'll never walk alone."
Bill, who lived in Portland, most recently worked for the state's General Services Department. I hope to have more details soon on the Nov. 3 memorial service.
------------------------------------
I met Bill when I first started hanging around WKDA with Lee Dorman. Lee got me started, Bill gave me a copy of his library of tapes with sfx and bumpers to use as I wanted when I finally got to a small station with a little freedom. We later worked together at WSM, which was strange hearing him do country, but he was always professional, he was always entertaining and informative, and he was a gentleman.
There aren't as many like him as there used to be. He'll be missed.
Buddy

Buddy,

Bill was only 61? That is WAY TO YOUNG TO DIE! My dad died back in February at only 70? I thought we as humans were living longer these days, as we have meds to control blood pressure, weight, etc. The LA weight loss deal you enroled in did wonders for you. I've gained much weight since dad passed in Feb. I may have to check out LA myself. I'm up to 213. I was at 175 back this time last year.
It bothers me that he was only 61. That is TOO YOUNG! :'(

Scott

 

[DToTheJ]

I may have to check out LA myself. I'm up to 213. I was at 175 back this time last year.

If you want to burn calories, here's my secret: water, exercise, more water, diablo peppers, more water; rinse, lather, repeat. Trust me, it works!

 

[scottwmro]

I may have to check out LA myself. I'm up to 213. I was at 175 back this time last year.

If you want to burn calories, here's my secret: water, exercise, more water, diablo peppers, more water; rinse, lather, repeat. Trust me, it works!

Not a bad idea.......

 

[Tibbs4]

To many good folks in radio passing on way to early. I'm in with you Scott, gotta get walking and loosing.

Buddy, you have those Bill Berlin tapes? Never could forget that voice. Would love to be able to hear them.
Wow. Guys like Bill made Nashville sound like the big city, then, didn't they?

I think I have some early 80's MAK ID's with Bill on them. Hell, I think they're on 8-track.

Nice Tennessean article.

 

[PaulO]

To many good folks in radio passing on way to early. I'm in with you Scott, gotta get walking and loosing.

Buddy, you have those Bill Berlin tapes? Never could forget that voice. Would love to be able to hear them.
Wow. Guys like Bill made Nashville sound like the big city, then, didn't they?

I think I have some early 80's MAK ID's with Bill on them. Hell, I think they're on 8-track.

Nice Tennessean article.

I first remember Bill Berlin on 92Q in 74 when it was "The Oldies Athority." He would intro American Top 40. He would tell who the sponsors were. It was a dry vocal. You wouldn't hear that too often now.

He also sounded good on Magic 13's format and on the music counry network on WSM.

 

[mberlin]

this is Bill Berlin's son

First I'd like to thank you all for the amazing things you've said about my dad. I've always known him as an absolutely wonderful father, but I see that he affected so many others in good ways as well. He'd become so jaded about radio after getting laid off from wsm that he just didn't want to even think about it. He was truly born to be a DJ and it was in his blood, no matter how hard he tried to distance himself from it. He was always so funny, so child-like, and so loving, even in the face of horrible luck and bad health. I just wish he could see how many people admired him.
His passing was very peaceful. The entire family was beside him and he just seemed to be resting. He wanted to be cremated, so there was no funeral. But we're having a memorial for him on his birthday (november 3) at The Guest House Inn in Gallatin, TN, from 9am to 9pm. All are invited, but remember it's casual... jeans and t-shirts and good memories. A genuine celebration like he'd have wanted. My email address is [email protected] if you have anything to say or ask. I'd very much appreciate any stories you may have because I'm going to write a book about his life to pass down in the family.
Thank you all, and we hope to see you at the memorial.
Michael Berlin

 

[romer979fm]

I worked with Bill for about 5 years...lots of great stories coming soon:
but the first that come to mind are Bill adding laugh tracks to Braves baseball at WMAK...
the 'Papermill Press" spots at 92Q...and the mob hit on the Disco Duck New Year's eve 1979
(Bill killed the duck by piercing the ducks heart with a rolled-up John Travolta poster).
I have the audio somewhere...on reel! Oh yeah...riding with Bill in the Majik13 van in the Nashville
Christmas Parade was...uhhh...interesting (we were the only staff for the last year of the format...
and when Bill had that accident with the school bus...it was just me).
I'm still sorta in shock about this...Bill was the best...

more stories soon

 

[msilcox]

It warms my heart to see my father being remembered the way he is. Our family truly appreciates the outpouring of love and concern that we have received since his passing. I will always hear his wonderful voice and fondly remember what a super fun dad he was. He left me with his odd sense of humor and his gift of gab, however the voice was only inherited by my brother. I was always so proud of dad, and my pride and admiration has only and will only continue to grow as the years pass. Thank you all again, and as my brother stated in his post, everyone is welcome at his memorial. It is a celebration of the life of The Wild Child.