Billy Rich

Saturday: 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Hi, I’m the new guy, Billy. But you can call me Bam, short for Bam-Bam. Don’t ask. Long story. Well, it started back on Thanksgiving day along time ago, at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas. Yep, I started out as an Army Brat! And darn proud of it! After my father’s time at Fort Sam, we were stationed at Fort Riley, home of The Big Red One! Shortly after, we returned to my parents’ stomping grounds in Southwest Kansas.

I knew that I wanted to be in radio at a very young age. Before ten, in fact. I was a fan of a legend, Phil Weaver. He was so funny and talented, and I wanted to be just like him. I later got the opportunity to work with him, and he took me under his wing, and became my mentor. Uncle Phil, if you’re reading this, I still love you! Your guidance and friendship still warms me today!

My radio career started pretty early, in fact my sophomore year in high school. I was fortunate enough to attend a high school that had it’s own radio/TV station. I did my share of on air during my school days, at school, and later internships and part time at the local AM station, that played standards, or “big people music”. Sinatra, Dean Martin, Steve Lawrence, and folks like that. Later I went on to another AM station, but this time country. From there, I moved to the sister FM station where I stayed for years, later becoming program and music director. I had a couple or more stops in Western Kansas to fill out my 15 year radio career.

I decided at 30 to take a break, and join The United States Army. There I learned to fix radios, instead of breaking them like I had been accused of the years before. When that was up, I was discharged to back to one of my former posts, Fort Gordon, located just outside of Augusta, GA. I stayed the next 8 years in Georgia.

What makes me tick? Well, I enjoy movies, sporting events, and have even been known to play a little Guitar Hero with my son. I am also a sucker for a good book. Music wise, I am pretty eclectic. I enjoy a wide variety that spans classic rock, country, southern rock, and the 80’s. I am a huge Mark Chesnutt fan, as well as George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard. I prefer my country to have no pop influence. Right now, I have Nickleback, ACDC, Elvis, Kiss, Theory of a Deadman, Don Williams, and my favorite, Van Halen in the CD changer. I love the format of classic country, and am looking forward to my stay at Country Legends 106-9!