Bobby Bones (broadcaster)

Bobby Bones
Bones at the iHeartRadio Theater in New York City.
Born	Bobby Estell (1980-04-02) April 2, 1980 (age 37) Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
Alma mater	Henderson State University
Occupation	Radio personality, author, comedian, musician
Political party	Independent

Bobby Bones (born Bobby Estell, April 2, 1980) is an American on-air radio personality and entertainer. He is the host of the nationally syndicated weekday radio program The Bobby Bones Show, originating out WSIX-FM in Nashville, Tennessee.

Bobby Estell (aka Bobby Bones) was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to Pamela Hurt. His mother became pregnant at age 15 and his father was 17. He was raised in the small community of Mountain Pine, Arkansas, by his mother and maternal grandmother. His biological father was with him until the age of 5, but then disappeared. Bobby began dreaming of a radio career around the age of 5 or 6. Bones grew up poor in a trailer park, and often viewed radio as a ticket out of poverty. Bones began his radio career at age 17 at the campus station of Henderson State University, KSWH-FM 91.1. He graduated with a B.A. in Radio/Television from Henderson in 2002.

While still in college, Bones went to work as a station hand at KLAZ in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but was put on the air within a few days of being hired. A manager there gave him the choice of going on the air as Bobby Z or Bobby Bones. In 2002, Bones was hired by Q100/KQAR in Little Rock, Arkansas. While there, he broke into another radio station (ALICE 107.7), which led to his next job in Austin, Texas, to begin hosting The Bobby Bones Show on 96.7 KISS FM.

Bones’s first full-time radio contract paid him $17,000

Bones was originally hired for the evening shift on KHFI (96.7 KISS FM) and moved to the morning drive shortly thereafter. While in Austin, he met two of his future co-hosts, Lunchbox (in a bar) and Amy (in a radio cohost contest after Jill left. He first hired Sarah *who was in the industry and picked to be part of the show* then decided Amy would be a better fit.). Neither had radio experience when Bones put them on the air. His executive producer, Alayna, was previously an intern on the show.

Over ten years, the show built its audience into the top-rated morning show in Austin and was syndicated in a few regional markets. At the height of his popularity, Bones was offered a job outside of radio but ultimately chose to remain with Clear Channel.