RIP Bill Drake

According to Todd Shanesy, longtime Spartanburg and Upstate radio personality Bill Drake has died.

http://hosting-24669.tributes.com/obituary/show/William-Bennett-Bill-Drake-101508100 Bill Drake Obituary

In Upstate SC Radio, we all learned from an elite few: Monte DuPuy, Wally Mullinax....others, and Bill Drake. I don't dislike the term "Legacy", but I am better in-tuned with it's simple definition. When one of my other Teachers/Mentors, Gordon Solie,.....died, I was asked to contribute to a book, written by his Daughter, and Son-in-Law. The title of that book also sums up our Brother in Broadcasting,....Bill Drake....."SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND".

I am the person who was responsible for Bill Drake coming to South Carolina in 1972. I was the Program Director at WIS Columbia, and we were looking for an afternoon drive personality. Little did I realize at the time that when we hired Bill Drake that he would become a TRUE BROADCASTING LEGEND in South Carolina. His resume and audition tape stood out in the large number of applications we received. There was no doubt: Bill Drake would be our choice. From the very first time I met him and his wonderful wife Judy, it was instant magic for us. I let Bill come up with things like the original "Battle of the Brains" and also a new live show each day in the Dutch Square Mall, "On the Air at Dutch Square". He was paired with a bright new female on WIS, Beryl Dakers, and they made an instant hit on the air. Bill was a hard worker and devoted a lot of time to preparing for his on the air shows. He knew how to reach out to the community. He knew music.
He had a great voice. What a talent we found....! Then in 1976, WIS was undergoing some major changes, and Bill was worried about the future. I had been in contact with the station manager at WSPA in Spartanburg and told him about Bill.
He made contact with Bill and hired him immediately. The rest is history ! Bill went on to become the person that all of you at your station, and the listeners in Spatanburg, came to appreciate. He moved to Columbia from Milwaukee, and loved the South and our people. He told me so many times how happy he was living in South Carolina. I am still in shock to know that he died last week, and I wish I could have been at the service that you and others conducted yesterday. Bill and Judy and their kids have a special place in my heart. Of all the people I worked with in my almost 50 year broadcasting career, Bill stands out as one of the finest that I ever met. And that includes on the network level at CNN, where I eventually became an anchor for the CNN Radio Network. Bill would have fit into network radio as smoothly as he fit into the local stations that he worked for and loved so much. I have the highest respect for this true South Carolina radio Legend. All of you in Spartanburg have been blessed to have had him on the air for so many years, and for all the things that Bill Drake accomplished in your community.

DAVE KIRSCHNER
Atlanta GA
(former WIS Radio Program Director)

RadioLover said:

I have the highest respect for this true South Carolina radio Legend. All of you in Spartanburg have been blessed to have had him on the air for so many years, and for all the things that Bill Drake accomplished in your community.

DAVE KIRSCHNER
Atlanta GA
(former WIS Radio Program Director)

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Thanks, Dave. I didn't know him but I've met him and here is one little-discussed aspect of his career: When his station was sold and he would have otherwise been out of work, he and his business partner embarked on a late-career adventure. They bought time from the new owner and Bill stayed on the air and still would be if not for his illness. Bill did the show and Tom Herndon sold the advertising. Most people in that situation grumble and complain about the death of community radio but these guys went out and made it happen on their own. I'm sure they weren't getting rich but the bills were getting paid and they made enough that they didn't want it to end. So Bill died without ever getting around to retiring. And that is an uncommon and cool way to end a successful radio career.

Good news for fans of community radio. I met with Judy Drake and Tom Herndon earlier today. We are going full steam ahead with the Awake with Drake show. We'll continue with the name, for now, as we'll still continue to highlight great audio snippets from Bill's career as 'The Voice of Spartanburg' and even some audio from his WIS and WEMP days in Milwaukee. Join me tomorrow morning (or weekdays depending on when you read this) at 6am for your 'first call to breakfast!' The Source 105.7fm/910am and www.TheSourceforSpartanburg.com