| Billy began his broadcast
career in September of his senior year at Pittsburgh’' Westinghouse High
School, working the 10PM until 4AM shift at WAMO-FM.
He served a stint in the
United States Air Force where he trained as a Radio and Television Production
Specialist.
After being honorably
discharged, Billy returned to Pittsburgh where he landed a job working
on the "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" television program and later became an
associate-director and then director at WTAE-TV the local ABC television
affiliate.
After three years in television,
Billy returned to WAMO-FM in morning drive. In 1974 he was hired by Joey
Reynolds after an on-air audition as late evening disc jockey at KQV where
he worked with some of the wackiest, but most talented bunch of guys ever
assembled. He was paired with the late George Hart in October of 1975 for
the last music program broadcast on KQV.
After KQV, Billy spent
time writing music and was vice president of a record company (Steel Town
Sound, Inc.) based in Pittsburgh and New York.
Billy resumed his broadcast
career in 1978 moving to Akron, Ohio to work as production assistant and
weekend evening DJ for WAKR Radio and later WAKC-TV23.
In 1983, shortly after
the debut of MTV, WAKC-TV management asked Billy to produce and host a
local music video show. The show was the first and longest running music
video show in the state of Ohio. Over the years, Billy was awarded more
than fifty GOLD and PLATINUM records for his contributions in promoting
music videos in northeast Ohio. In 1993, Billy was honored with a
Billboard Music Video Award for "Producer of The Best Local/Regional Video
Show" in America.
Billy, also for many years
was WAKC-TV's manager of Community Relations/Public Affairs and Promotions,
working with non-profit organizations, producing many public affairs programs
and local public service announcements. For fourteen years he was co-host
for the local Children's Miracle Network Telethon and was general chairman
and co-founder of the Salvation Army's "Coat for Christmas" campaign.
In 1994, Billy was inducted
into the Radio and Television Hall of Fame.
After WAKC was sold to
PAX-TV in 1996, Billy resigned his position to start his own entertainment
media consulting firm, The Billy Soule Company. He worked on many projects
for local organizations and businesses and was a special consultant to
the City of Akron.
In 2003, he coordinated
local voter campaign initiatives and was a campaign coordinator during
the reelection of Akron's incumbent mayor.
In February of 2004, Billy
was named Assistant to the Mayor for Community Relations.
Billy and his wife Brenda
reside in Akron, Ohio. They are the parents of three grown children and
are proud grandparents of seven. |
