BOB KINGSLEY

Widely acknowledged as the most listened-to radio voice in country music history, Bob Kingsley began his career in 1958 while stationed with the Air Force in Keflavic, Iceland. Upon returning to his native California, he became a disc jockey at KUTY/Palmdale in 1961, subsequently working at stations in Las Vegas, Tijuana, and Oxnard, California.

In 1964, Kingsley joined KEEN/San Jose, where he honed his interviewing skills. Two years later, he moved to KGBS/Los Angeles, where he became the station’s program director and won the first of three Academy of Country Music Awards. He later worked at Los Angeles stations KLAC and KFI, while also establishing a national reputation as the programmer and voice of Drake-Chenault’s Great American Country format.

In 1974, Casey Kasem and Tom Rounds hired Bob to produce their new syndicated series, American Country Countdown. In 1978, Bob began a 28 year run as host; during that time, he received 16 consecutive Network/Syndicated Program of the Year awards from Billboard.

In 2006, Kingsley left Countdown to launch Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 with his wife and partner Nan. He has received three Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB)/Country Aircheck awards, the CRB President's award and the Grand Ole Opry Living Legend Award.

Bob Kingsley passed away on October 17th, 2019.

He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2016.