Former 700 WLW Host Gary Burbank Dies at 84

CINCINNATI, OHIO - Longtime Cincinnati radio personality Gary Burbank, best known for his afternoon drive show on 700 WLW and his redneck commentator alter ego Earl Pitts, has died at the age of 84 after a lengthy illness. Host Bill Cunningham announced Burbank’s passing on social media Thursday, posting, “Gary Burbank has passed… May the GOAT… RIP…” at 1:40 p.m. on X.

Burbank, born Billy Purser in July 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee, adopted his on-air name as a tribute to Laugh-In regular Gary Owens. His Cincinnati tenure began in 1981 after earlier stints at WAKY in Louisville and stations in New Orleans, Detroit/Windsor, and Tampa. He remained a WLW fixture until his retirement in December 2007.

During his career, Burbank created a roster of memorable characters, including Earl “Uhmerikun” Pitts, Gilbert Gnarley, and Howlin’ Blind Muddy Slim. He won back-to-back Marconi Awards for Large Market Personality of the Year in 1990 and 1991 and was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. His daily “Sports or Consequences” trivia segment, notable for callers quizzing the panel rather than vice versa, became a hallmark of his show’s energetic format.

Beyond broadcasting, Burbank co-owned Burbank’s Real Bar-B-Q and Ribs in Sharonville, Ohio, and founded the nonprofit Play It Forward to support uninsured musicians. He is survived by his wife, Carol; daughter, Tracy; son, Shawn; and grandchildren.

His influence extended far beyond Cincinnati’s city limits, with regional syndication across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, and later national reach via XM Satellite Radio. Fans and colleagues alike mourned his passing, remembering him as “the most talented radio host of all time” and celebrating a career that spanned more than four decades in American radio.