Radio's Mr. Fabulous, Bill Burton, Dies at 85

 

It's a sad day for the radio industry: Radio's number one ambassador has passed away at the age of 85. Bill Burton, who died this weekend as a result of head injuries suffered from a fall at home on Tuesday, will be missed by too many people to count and by an entire industry that appreciated him as its number one cheerleader. Bill Burton was everybody's friend. He was always positive. He was radio's biggest advocate. He was fabulous.

Radio Ink Publisher Eric Rhoads said, "Bill embraced me as a friend and gave me constant encouragement over decades. He’s been a great mentor, he taught us all vital lessons like 'Never take no from someone who cann't say yes,' and he was always positive in spite of numerous back surgeries and pain. He is probably responsible for more auto billing to radio than anyone in history. He is a radio legend, and there is a big hole in my heart over his loss."
Bill Burton started his radio career at the then-independent rep firm Eastman Radio and was President/Chairman when Jacor bought Eastman in 1987. He's headed the Detroit Radio Automotive Group since 1995, and consistently traveled the country giving "Why Radio?" presentations to top decisionmakers in the advertising community. Burton estimatee that, during his 30-year-plus career, he contributed to about $300 million in radio sales.

PS When I was just starting out in radio many moons ago, Bill Burton showed me how important it is to be the star of the show when he walked in ...to bring in a bag of either doughnuts or pastries to the media buyers at agencies as he always did. He was a positive resource to me early in my career! I will always remember his high energy and constant smile! Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.