Bill Gable - CKLW

Obituaries for folks in the entertainment world that have come to the end of the road.

Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Wed Sep 19, 2018 11:10 am

One of the legends from one of the most legendary frequencies of all; Brother Bill Gable of the Big 8 dies from COPD complications September 18, 2018.
69 years of age.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby Muzik » Wed Sep 19, 2018 1:21 pm

Great Jock at some Big stations. Only 69 which is too young in this day and age. He was retired. Thanks Neumann for this. Sad.
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Wed Sep 19, 2018 2:00 pm

I found a post from Pat Holiday earlier today that I wish I had saved (..cannot find it again, dammit). Pat had a great story about how the LW jocks would compete to top one another in creativity, humor and energy in their respective show openers.
Bill Gable set the bar that effectively ended the unofficial contest when he came out of the top of the hour with Papa Was A Rolling Stone and talked up the entire nearly two minute intro, completely unscripted with an anecdotal recitation about growing up as a poor kid in the ghetto and ultimately nailed the post with the Temptations Dennis Edwards completing his last sentence: “It was the 3rd of September...that day I’ll always remember....”
And NOBODY has an aircheck of this??? I cannot believe THAT.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby drmusic » Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:17 pm

Here’s an obit with the Pat Holiday quote you may be looking for

https://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/ ... e.html?m=1

EDIT: Sorry, this doesn’t seem to be that exact post.
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby paterson » Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:37 pm

Bill Gable certainly worked at some of the best radio stations over his career. KHJ Los Angeles, WLW in Cincinnati, WMMO Orlando, WHBQ in Memphis and also WGRV (smooth Jazz) in Detroit.
As previously mentioned on this side of the border Bill was best known for his two stints at CKLW. He also worked a number of years on air at CFTR/CHFI in Toronto (also P.D. at TR), and his last radio gig was at AM 740 in Toronto where he co-hosted the morning show for six years. Bill retired from radio in April 2014. He once said that working at CKLW was one of the five best radio jobs in the world you could have.

I love the youtube clip of Bill from 1985 for the Detroit radio on air reunion that WNIC hosted. A great clip of him and a few airchecks from the Big 8 in the early 70's.

A native of Phoenixville Pennsylvania, Bill Gable started his 45 year career at WAEB in Allentown. I guess he was still living in Windsor since the obit says that he passed away at a hospital in Windsor ON.
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby Tom Jeffries » Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:52 pm

While at CFTR, we all respected and revered The "Brother". My Pal Red Knight followed him at CKLW, when Bill Gable came to CFTR.

RIP.
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby albertaboy4life » Sat Sep 22, 2018 6:32 pm

Dale Patterson has posted the text of Pat Holiday's Facebook tribute to Bill Gable mentioned earlier by NS, along with a November 1972 CKLW aircheck, on his excellent Rock Radio Scrapbook website -

http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/ckb-sep23.html
Faster cars, younger women, older cheese, more money . . .
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Re: Bill Gable - CKLW

Postby slowhand » Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:03 pm

Tom Jeffries wrote:My Pal Red Knight followed him at CKLW, when Bill Gable came to CFTR.

Whew! Sure glad it wasn't The White Knight, who, as Gracie Slick mentions, has a habit of talking backwards.
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