Gary Burbank, the legendary radio host of 700 WLW, has passed away at 84 on August 28, 2025, in Louisville after a prolonged illness with complications from dementia.
Burbank was born Billy Purser in 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee, gained fame for his comedic radio shows featuring characters like Earl Pitts and Gilbert Gnarley. He joined WLW in 1981 and became a household name, influencing generations of listeners.
Inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2012 and a recipient of multiple Marconi Awards, Burbank’s impact on American radio remains unforgettable.
He began his radio career in the 1960s in Louisiana and Mississippi before rising to fame at Louisville’s WAKY in 1968, where he adopted the name Gary Burbank. He joined Cincinnati’s 700 WLW in 1981, becoming a household name with shows featuring popular characters like Earl Pitts, Gilbert Gnarley, and the All My Bengals soap opera. Burbank retired in 2007 but continued to influence the radio industry, earning multiple Marconi Awards and induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2012.
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