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| Bill Gable |
Bill Gable, who entertained audiences at stations across North America for 46-years passed away Tuesday evening. He died suddenly in a Windsor, Ontario hospital from complications of chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD).
Gable retired in 2014.
He got his start in radio as a teenager in Allentown, Pennsylvania and went on to work in the biggest markets in North America, including Detroit-Windsor at CKLW (The Big 8) in the 1970s. “All the American DJs, who were already in radio, they aspired to work there. To them, that was maybe one of the five best radio jobs in the world that you could get.”
Gable's daughter Lisa posted this on Facebook:
Yesterday 9/18/18 our family said an unexpected good bye to my wonderful, kind, loving and wise Dad, Bill Gable. Our hearts are completely shattered, shocked and broken. My Dad had been battling COPD, coupled with other health issues for sometime but it took a sudden turn. We covet your prayers at this time. We also know Facebook is the only way of communication with many of his beloved friends and colleagues. Memorial arrangements will be communicated by the family once we know those details. I “miss you already” Daddio. I’m so proud and grateful to be your daughter. I love you.
Gable had trouble with COPD off an on and recently had an unrelated operation. That all seemed to go well and he was recovering well…until last night.
Another CKLW personality, Pat Holiday commented:
I’ve only had a handful of super close friends. The kind that are with you through thick and thin, decade after decade, and are a large piece of your life, history, and memories. One of them is Bill Gable. I first met Bill as just kids really, back in 1970 at CKLW. He was the new kid coming up from Washington DC. “Brother Bill”. We immediately hit it off and have been close friends ever since regardless of distance, time, and most of life’s situations. He was one of those guys for me that I knew actually cared about whatever was going on in my life and me for him. You don’t get many of those kinds of friends. I was lucky.
Just last week we had a super long conversation about virtually everything and solved all the world’s problems in one shot. All was good. Tonight, quite a shock, we lost Bill. It’s so odd even writing this. Hard to believe as it’s sinking in.
I met Bill during his years at 700WLW in Cincinnati. I owned a collision repair shop at the time and we restored his Porsche. We became friends during that time and I would come down to the station in downtown Cincy and hang with him in the studio during his show. He was, quite simply, hilarious! Fond memories of Bill. This news makes me very sad. Rest in peace Brother Bill.
ReplyDeleteTony Vaccariello
Cincinnati, Oh
I just found out about this, and it hits hard. I chose a career in radio largely because of the joy I found in listening to the great Top-40 AM stations and air personalities of the 60s and 70s, and CKLW and Bill Gable were among them. Years later, in the 1990s, I was blessed to serve as Bill's program director at WMMO-FM in Orlando. When I visited my hometown of Buffalo, NY in recent years, I'd always make a point of tuning him in on AM 740. I'm so glad I reached out and gave him a call to catch up while I had the chance. I'll treasure the memories of his subtle wit, his professionalism and his friendship.
ReplyDeletePaul Warren