R.I.P.: Radio, Voice-Over Artist Bill Young Has Died

Bill Young

According to a message on the Bill Young Productions website, its founder, Bill Young, has passed away.

Young was an icon in the radio and voice over industry, and author of the book 'Dead Air: The Rise and Demise of Music Radio.'

He was also the voice of ABC-13 in Houston for several years.

This is the message posted on the Bill Young Productions site:

"It is with great sadness we must inform you of the passing of our founder, leader, and mentor Bill Young. Bill was not only the driving force of our industry - he created it, and most certainly was the voice of it. We will miss Bill's incredible voice and big heart every day. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a contribution be made to the Alpha-1 Foundation, or to the charity of your choice. Tributes may be left on the website of the Settegast-Kopf Funeral Home at Sugar Creek." 

In addition to his life as a well known deejay, Bill Young programmed KILT - the McLendon Houston powerhouse for over 14 years.

The station consistently led the market in audience growth and was a programming leader in the national business of music radio.

In 2011, Young, who was the longtime program director for Houston’s KILT 610 AM published "Dead Air, The Rise and Demise of Music Radio", a memoir of his career in radio that spanned from his first jobs on the air at his hometown station in Lufkin to his 15 years as program director at KILT, which during his heyday was one of the country’s most prominent Top-40 stations.



In 1966, KILT’s first manager, Bill Weaver, hired him as program director, where, at 25, he was given a group of air personalities at included Chuck Dunaway, Alex Bennett and Russ Knight, the Weird Beard, all who became legends in their own right. At KILT, he brought in such personalities as the original Hudson & Harrigan team and Beau Weaver.

He started Bill Young Productions in 1981 with an $88,000 loan at 21 percent interest. Young’s business was growing so fast, he paid off the loan in six months. Young sold 80 percent of BYP to employees in 1996, and for years continued to produce commercials and provide voice talent.