R.I.P.: Bill Mayne, Country Broadcaster, Music Executive

(1951-2023)

The music industry mourns the loss of a true legend, as long-time music and radio industry executive and former CRB/CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne has passed away at the age of 72 after a courageous battle with a long-term illness.

Bill Mayne’s career spanned nearly five decades in the music industry, leaving an indelible mark in multiple facets. While his last decade at the helm of CRS stands out, there are two equally remarkable chapters in his half-century journey.

Mayne initially embarked on his musical odyssey as a member of a band before transitioning into radio. His versatile career encompassed on-air and programming roles across diverse formats, including Top 40, Rock, and Country. However, it was in the realm of Country radio that he truly found his calling. He launched KASE in Austin and went on to lead KZLA/KLAC in Los Angeles and KSCS/WBAP in Dallas.

The next chapter saw Mayne’s remarkable 15-year tenure at Warner Bros./Nashville, where he held various influential roles, from regional to VP of Promotion, eventually becoming Sr. VP/General Manager and VP of Promotion.

Mayne’s influence extended beyond his radio and label days. He was a devoted member of the CRB Board, eventually becoming Board VP before assuming the role of Executive Director in 2009, holding the position for a remarkable decade and injecting renewed vitality into the organization, which continues to thrive today. In 2019, he received the organization’s President’s Award and was recognized for the significant contributions he’d made to the radio industry.

Furthermore, Mayne’s entrepreneurial spirit shone through as he presided over Mayne Entertainment, an artist management company, and Mayne Street Consulting, a private entertainment consulting firm, offering valuable insights and guidance to clients in the entertainment field.

Beyond his professional achievements, he was deeply involved in the industry’s charitable endeavors. He served as a former board member of the Country Music Association and spent over 35 years on the Academy of Country Music Board of Directors, including roles as Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the ACM. His legacy also includes co-founding the St. Jude Country Cares for Kids Program, a monumental initiative that has raised over $700 million for St. Jude since its inception in 1989. Additionally, he held the role of National VP for MDA and was a distinguished member of Leadership Music and the Mayor’s Nashville Music Council.

Current Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio Seminar (CRB/CRS) executive director RJ Curtis said in a statement, “The passing of Bill Mayne marks a profound loss for the entire country music community. Bill was a true giant in every sense of the word. His fifty years of passionate work positively impacted everyone he met, in nearly every segment of our business, through his time in radio, the music industry, artist management, entrepreneurialism, and, of course, his decade of leadership as Executive Director for CRB. Bill Mayne navigated the organization through a period of great adversity, ultimately reestablishing CRS as the premier industry event that it is today.”

In 2019, Mayne received CRB/CRS’ President’s Award in recognition of the significant contributions he made to the radio industry.