Bob Kingsley facts for kids

Bob Kingsley (born March 19, 1939 – died October 17, 2019) was a famous American radio host who played country music. He was so good at his job that he became a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. Bob was best known for hosting two popular radio shows that played country music hits across the country: American Country Countdown (often called ACC) and Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40.

Bob Kingsley first started working in radio when he was in the United States Air Force in Iceland. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he worked as a disc jockey (DJ) and helped manage country music radio stations. In 1974, he became a producer for ACC, and then he hosted the show from 1978 to 2005. After that, with his wife Nan, he created and produced Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 from 2006 until he passed away.

Early Life and Radio Start

When Bob Kingsley was a young child, he got sick with polio. While he was recovering, he loved listening to the radio. He once said, "That's all I had was that radio there. I could move my arm, my hand, just enough to turn the dial..." He especially enjoyed the exciting evening shows like The Green Hornet. This early love for radio stayed with him.

In 1959, while serving in the United States Air Force, Bob began his radio career. He worked at a station called TFK in Keflavik, Iceland. He admitted he wasn't very good at first, saying, "I murdered the copy... I wasn't very good, but I was hooked."

After leaving the military, Bob looked for radio jobs. He even made his own demo tapes to show what he could do. He eventually found a sales job at a radio station in Palmdale, California. This station let him practice being a DJ in the studio after his work hours. Later, he worked as a DJ at a country station in Los Angeles called KGBS. In 1970, he became the program director at KLAC, another station that had just switched to playing country music.

Hosting American Country Countdown

Bob Kingsley became very well-known across the country in 1974. This was when he started producing the nationally broadcast show American Country Countdown (ACC). This show was created to be a country music version of Casey Kasem's famous American Top 40.

In May 1978, Bob took over as the host of ACC, replacing the original host, Don Bowman. While hosting ACC, Bob also did voiceovers for other country music programs. Under Bob's leadership, ACC won the "Network/Syndicated Program of the Year: Country" award from Billboard magazine for an amazing 16 years in a row! No other radio host or music program in any style of music had achieved such long-lasting success.

Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40

In 2006, Bob Kingsley started a new radio show called Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. He also had a shorter, two-minute program called Bob Kingsley with Today's Hit Makers. These new shows were distributed by a company called Jones Radio Network.

In 2015, a media company called Nash Icon announced that they would start replaying classic ACC shows hosted by Bob Kingsley. These reruns were called American Country Countdown Rewind With Bob Kingsley. Even after Bob Kingsley passed away, reruns of his countdown shows are still available through Skyview Networks. You can also hear replays of his shows on Nashville's WSM Radio on Saturdays, thanks to an agreement with his wife, Nan Kingsley, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Bob Kingsley's wife, Nan, was a big part of his career. She helped him produce Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. In 1995, the couple moved from California to Weatherford, Texas, which is west of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There, they owned a ranch called Bluestem Ranch, where Bob enjoyed raising cutting horses.

Illness and Death

In October 2019, Bob Kingsley was diagnosed with bladder cancer. This meant he had to take a break from hosting CT40, which was meant to be temporary. Sadly, Bob Kingsley passed away at his home in Weatherford on October 17, 2019, at the age of 80.

Honors and Awards

Bob Kingsley received many awards for his work in country radio. He won the Country Music Association National Broadcast Personality of the Year award in both 2001 and 2003. In 2012, he received the President's Award from the Country Radio Broadcasters.

A great honor came in November 2016, when Bob Kingsley was chosen to be a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. Only a few other country radio personalities, like Blair Garner, Ralph Emery, and Gene Autry, had been inducted before him.

The month after he passed away, a special event was held to celebrate Bob Kingsley's life and career at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Many famous country music stars attended, including Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, and Trisha Yearwood.