From 1981 through his retirement in December 2007, he dominated afternoon drive on one of the world’s most listened-to AM radio stations, creating a cast of unique and oftentimes hilarious characters including “Gilbert Gnarley,” “The Right Rev. Deuteronomy Skaggs,” and “Eunice and Bernice.”
Now, many across the radio industry are mourning the loss of Billy Purser. WLW-AM in Cincinnati listeners know him as “Gary Burbank.” He was 84 years of age.
A little Dick Orkin, and perhaps a dash of Don Imus, peppered Burbank’s radio programs across three decades. Purser began his career in Lake Providence, La., as “Bill Williams,” and at KUZN in the Monroe, La., market would take the on-air name “Johnny Apollo.”
After stints at WMPS in Memphis and WWUN in Jackson, Miss., Purser would take a role at WAKY in Louisville, today an Oldies brand just acquired by Randy Michaels through his Radioactive LLC. It was at WAKY where “Gary Burbank” was created as an homage to Gary Owens, the Los Angeles-based radio talent who gained national fame as the announcer of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in 1968.
As “Gary Burbank,” he’d go on to WNOE in New Orleans and a major Top 40 station circa April 1975 where he’d landed in mornings — CKLW “The Big 8” in Windsor, Ontario, which served the greater Detroit and Toledo markets. A bit with “The Right Rev. Deuteronomy Skaggs” can be heard on the following aircheck:
“Gary Burbank” would also be heard at WHAS-AM in Louisville, a Full Service giant of the era, and WDAE-AM in Tampa before making WLW his long-term home in 1981.
There, he developed nationally syndicated commentaries as his “hillbilly” alter ego, Earl Pitts Uhmerikun. Close friend Rick Consolo, who oversaw the Earl Pitts network, said, “The radio world will never know a greater and more humble talent.”
Purser, as “Gary Burbank,” was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012.
Across the Cincinnati market, tributes have been pouring on social media. WKRC-TV’s Sheila Oliver noted, “I’ll miss you my dear friend.”
— Reporting by Cameron Coats, in New York; and Adam Jacobson, in Gilbert, Ariz.
“Radio’s Best Friend,” Art Vuolo, has compiled a special video tribute of Billy Purser as “Gary Burbank.”
