Posted on 08/29/2025 4:48:40 AM PDT by GreenLanternCorps
The news was confirmed by longtime WLW host Bill Cunningham as well as Burbank's nonprofit Play It Forward. Burbank passed away in Louisville after a long illness.
For decades, Burbank's charismatic personality entertained listeners over the airwaves at WLW radio. His comedy and unforgettable characters entertained listeners across the Ohio Valley.
Burbank had a storied career, launching his radio career under names such as "Bill Williams" and later "Johnny Apollo" at stations across Louisiana and Mississippi in the 1960s.
He gained almost instant popularity at Louisville's WAKY, where he adopted the name Gary Burbank.
In 1981, Burbank landed his role in Cincinnati at 700-WLW where he became a household name.
It was there he developed countless radio characters like Gilbert Gnarley and Earl Pitts.
After a 25-year career at WLW, he retired in 2007.
Even after retirement, his name and iconic personas lived on for years, winning him several awards and recognitions, including his induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012.
Outside of his radio career, he also developed a nonprofit, Play It Forward, a comprehensive resource for the working, independent musicians of the Tri-State.
I remember something similar, either Gary Owen as the Laugh-in character, or Burbank, but with the same voice and delivery. When I moved to Lima and started listening in the mid-80s, I wondered about any connection.
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