National Radio Hall of Famer and Country Top 40 host Bob Kingsley passed away today (10/17) in Weatherford, TX following a battle with bladder cancer. He was 80.
Kingsley's radio career began in with the Armed Forces Radio Service station in Keflavik, Iceland in 1959 while serving in the Air Force. His early career stops included Country KGBS/Los Angeles and KLAC/Los Angeles, programming the latter following its flip into Country in 1970.
Four years later, Kingsley became the producer of nationally syndicated American Country Countdown started one year earlier by Casey Kasem and Don Bustany. In 1978, Kingsley succeeded the show's original host, Don Bowman, where he remained until 2005. In 2006, Kingsley launched Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40, which he hosted until his passing.
Throughout his career, Kingsley garnered numerous industry accolades, twice being named CMA's National Broadcast Personality of the Year, winning ACM National Broadcast Personality of the Year once and earning Billboard's Network/Syndicated Program of the Year 16 times. The CRB/Country Aircheck Awards named Kingsley National Air Personality of the Year three times and the CRB Presidents Award was bestowed upon him in 2012. He was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 1998 and became the format's fifth representative in the National Radio Hall of Fame upon his induction in 2016. Kingsley was also the inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Award, later named for him, in 2014.
A celebration of life will be held at the CMA Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame Nov. 14 at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Kingsley’s name to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.