Bill Whyte – Rockin the Ridge

Bill Whyte is a singer/songwriter/comedian/radio guy and more. He was inducted into the Country Radio Broadcast Hall Of Fame in 2012...his songs have been recorded by Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Brady Seals, Cledus T. Judd, Linda Davis ,Darin and Brooke Aldridge and others. He performs on the road with "Evening In The Round" with Grammy winner Linda Davis and her husband Lang Scott and with "Hits And Grins"...a songwriting trio that includes Steve Dean and Victoria Venier and also performs on his own.

Born in Montgomery City Missouri...graduated high school in Elsberry Missouri and from College with a degree in Mass Media from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. Yes, Bill is a proud "Fighting Mule" from CMSU. Bill's first singing experience was in church with his Mom and Dad and two brothers and two sisters. The Whyte Family sang at local churches and small functions and to this day Bill jokes that "the family had the best 7 part unison you ever heard." Bill got his first guitar when he was 16 that he borrowed from his mother who played piano in the New Hope Baptist Church...but never learned to play the six stringed instrument. A friend taught him his first few chords and he was hooked. He wrote his first song shortly after. He played in a trio with his two brothers and then with a small group called "The Country Boys." Bill formed his first group at 17...Bill Whyte and The Shortline Express...later to become the Bill Whyte Band.

Bill's first record was about a fictional monster called "Mo Mo The Missouri Monster" written with a couple of radio station buddies in Bowling Green , Missouri. With a little four piece band he recorded his first full length album in Nashville... "Bill Whyte...Makin Music For Money"...and yes the title did come from a Jimmy Buffett song. The producers on the album project were Royce and Jeannie Kendall...the famous Kendall's duo that had a number one hit "Heaven's Just A Sin Away." Bill's first experience in Nashville came in the mid 70's. His manager Dean Raymer of Gateway Talent encouraged him to make the move. While he was in Music City he was part of the United Talent Roster that was owned by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and worked with Crystal Gayle and other artists on the roster.

In the early 1980's the band settled in Cincinnati. And it was there that Bill re-started his radio career at WUBE...doing weekends at first...and eventually morning radio. The year 2000 found Bill back in Nashville for a second time working for WSM-FM . While there Bill started writing songs seriously again.

It was Billy Dean who first encouraged Bill to stop resisting his funny side and write more comedy songs and that led Bill into the studio to record his "Off The Wall CD" that was recorded "Live" at the world famous Bluebird Cafe. And his second comedy song CD "Leave Em' Laughing" contains 12 more funny songs. The two CD's are available HERE.

At the moment Bill is still doing some radio work for WSM radio in Nashville the home of the Grand Ole Opry and he writes comedy for United Stations and Premiere in New York City who provide comedy material for radio morning shows nationwide.

Bill's Comedy Bio

Bill Whyte's unique presentation of funny and twisted songs makes him a favorite everywhere he entertains.

Whether he's tributing those folks who are on permanent vacation in "Retired" (that Ray Steven's recorded.... or wondering how much he could get away with in "If I Had Boobs" he always leaves the crowd laughing. Bill's song "I'm Goin Ugly Early Tonight" which has been recorded by Cledus T. Judd is the perfect howling climax for his stand up-singing routine.

He is also a member of the "EVENING IN THE ROUND" songwriter/performing trio with Grammy Award winning artist Linda Davis and her husband Lang Scott who was the first winner of "You Can Be A Star" on the Nashville Network. Lang and Linda are the proud parents of Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum.

And Bill is also part of a second trio called "Hits And Grins" that also features hit songwriters Steve Dean and Victoria Venier.

RADIO
Bill's other career is that of a morning radio guy. He was inducted into the Country Radio Broadcast Hall of Fame in February of 2012. After small market stops at KPCR in Bowling Green, Missouri and KWRE in Warrenton, Missouri...he worked at large market station that include Cincinnati at WUBE and has also been on the air doing morning shows for WMIL Milwaukee, WFMS in Indianapolis and WSM-FM in Nashville. He has won numerous broadcast awards including the CMA Award for Best Large Market Personality. He's been nominated for a CMA Award twice more, won an AIR Award for best new Morning Show in Nashville...had two Billboard Award nominations and won a Gavin Award for Best Morning Show at WUBE in Cincinnati.

And currently Bill is on air part time for the legendary Grand Ole Opry radio station WSM-AM.

WRITING
Bill is also a serious songwriter and has written with hit writers and artists like Keith Anderson, Billy Dean, Linda Davis, Craig Morgan, Jim McBride, Brady Seals, Karen Taylor Good, Lisa Shaffer, Wil Nance, Steve Dean, Michael Peterson, Bobby Tomberlin, Jerry Salley, Rebecca Lynn Howard and many others.