Henderson Oracle

Boning up - Austin-based dee jay Bobby Estell (middle) poses with his "Bobby Bones Show" co-hosts Jill (left) and Erica. Estell, known on air as "Bobby Bones," is a 2002 graduate of HSU and former personality and general manager for KSWH. ( photo courtes [Click to enlarge]

Like many aspiring radio stars before him, Bobby Estell entered KSWH with dreams of a major radio career. The student-run KSWH 91.1 has a history of spinning out local disc jockeys, but Estell wanted far more. Estell wanted to host a syndicated radio show in a major market and saw the college radio station as the perfect launching pad.

At the young age of 23, this Henderson graduate has now accomplished much of his radio dream.

Estell hosts the popular "Bobby Bones Morning Show" in Austin, Texas. The show also airs in San Antonio and New Orleans. Described by the local press as "over the top, funny, and sometimes edgy," Estell orchestrates the show with three co-hosts and a slew of interns.

It didn't happen overnight for the Henderson alum. At age 18, Estell begged for a job at 105.9 KLAZ in Hot Springs. With only a week of experience at KSWH, Estell was hired to work part time as an air talent.

He continued to work there for four years and was responsible for getting more than 10 Henderson students started in professional broadcasting. Most of them also worked at KLAZ through Estell's recommendation.

In the summer of 2002, after graduation, Estell was hired at the now defunct KQAR - Q100 in Little Rock. The popular "Bobby Bones Night Show" garnered national attention and many job offers in his first few months on the air.

The most notorious stunt during Estell's KQAR tenure involved sneaking into a competing radio station and seizing their airwaves for more than 15 minutes. This stunt put Estell in legal turmoil, but also created a national buzz with his old-school guerilla tactics.

Within five months of his arrival, Estell was promoted within the company to the night show in Austin, Texas. Austin, with a population of over one million, is considered a large market by the Arbitron rating service.

One month into his tenure at 96.7 KISS in Austin, Estell was approached with the idea of syndicating his night show. Estell could be heard in Austin, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Meridian, and San Antonio. "The Bobby Bones Night Show" was reaching over 3 million people nightly!

Not bad for a boy from Mountain Pine, Ark.

In July 2003, Estell was approached by a different company with an offer to move his night show to the west coast. Estell's current employer was forced to make a decision: either offer Estell a bigger deal in Austin or lose him to a competing company and a bigger city.

On July 19, Estell was offered the option to be the youngest large-market morning show host in the country. He accepted the next day, and a month later the contract was finalized.

Former classmates and professors have good things to say about Estell. "Even though Bobby and I have had our differences, I can honestly say he's one of the best DJs I've ever heard," said Brandon Scott, senior mass media major and former DJ at KLAZ.

"He was the only student in my media law class who would put into practice what I taught the next day," said Michael Ray Taylor, professor of mass media. "He was also the only student ever to recite 'the seven words you can never say on the air' in his senior presentation, in front of a room full of faculty."

With goals of having his own network late-night television show, it seems as if Bobby Estell is on the right track.

He currently does feature work for FOX 7 in Austin, serving as a local "American Idol" correspondent and as a pop-culture analyst. Estell spent two years working for HTV while at Henderson.

He credits his success to a number of things: hard work, guidance and being very lucky.

Not to mention walking into KSWH with no experience.

To keep up with Estell's antics, go to www.bobbybones.com.

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