Beloved Country music broadcaster and longtime countdown show host Bob Kingsley died today (10/17) at his home in Weatherford, Texas, TX at the age of 80. He was being treated for bladder cancer, which he had revealed earlier this month.
Robert Gibson Kingsley began his radio career on Armed Forces Radio while serving in the Air Force in Keflavik, Iceland. Upon returning stateside he flourished with stations like KLAC in Los Angeles. His 60-plus year radio career brought him to a national audience in the 1970s when he became producer of American Country Countdown, a country Top 40 hits countdown show started by (and mirrored after a show hosted by) Casey Kasem. Don Bowman was the host of the show until Kingsley took over in 1978, beginning a nearly 30-reign as country music's recognizable voice. With a thick, warm and inviting baritone Kingsley was the gold standard in country music announcing and storytelling.
In 2006 he began a new chapter when Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 took to the air. He was elected to the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2016, cementing a legacy that included several ACM, CMA and CRB Awards. Throughout his life he also donated time and money to numerous charitable initiatives, especially those that involved the military. Kingsley became a member of the Country Radio Broadcasters Hall Of Fame in 1998 and The National Radio Hall Of Fame in 2016. His show, “BOB KINGSLEY’s Country Top 40,” was aired by more than 320 stations including 102.5 WYNR in Brunswick, Georgia.
A celebration of life will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, November 14th at The CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kingsley’s name to the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum or the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.