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Thursday, June 13, 2013

R.I.P.: Radio Personality Bill Bailey Passes At 66

Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey, a longtime radio disc jockey and executive at stations in Michigan and the rest of the country, died Wednesday morning. 

He was 66, according to WZZM TV13.

Bailey died of an apparent heart attack on the 17th tee at the Meadows golf course in Allendale, according to representatives from WGVU-AM.  Two coworkers gave Bailey CPR, but he was later pronounced dead.  Bailey and others were taking part in a station golf outing at the course.

Bailey had a long career in radio, working as a disk jockey at WLS-AM in Chicago, WDRQ-FM in Detroit, and stations in Washington, D.C., and other cities.  He had served as program director and afternoon personality on WLHT-FM in Grand Rapids before becoming the morning drive host on WGVU Real Oldies 850/1480 AM.

Bailey, a Chicago native, won a Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters in 1998, and was a finalist for the NAB's Crystal Award from 2005 to 2007.

1 comment:

  1. daniel_bernath2 hours ago
    I was Bill's newscaster, going by the name Daniel Abernathy in Detroit at WDRQ. I loved the guy. My PD said it was hero worship. He just seemed like the most big time jock I had ever met and I got to work with him-a privilege. I remember he told me he had a radio announcer job at KMOX, the CBS owned and operated stations in St. Louis. He was so frustrated because he was so creative but he only got to say the station ID at the top of the hour "This is KMOX, St. Louis." So he quit CBS! His father thought he was crazy that one day he'd end up in the big time. Bill lived his life the way he wanted to and was in the big time. I hope his wife is doing OK. So sad to see him go. Daniel Abernathy WDRQ and WOKY Milwaukee where I also worked with Bill.
    I remember calling him when I saw an older publicity photo of him. "Gee Bill, as you get older, you look more phillipino!" His wife is of european heritage. He laughed when word got out that he and she were having a baby. A DJ friend called him and said, "you have a zebra or something?"

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