Gene Burns

Longtime Bay Area radio talk show host Gene Burns died today (May 25) at age 72, according to his former station, KGO-AM.

Known for his Libertarian views, distinctive voice and perfect grammar, Burns was a top-rated host on KGO in its news-talk heyday.

But he was let go in a November 2011 cost-cutting purge along with Gil Gross, John Rothmann and Bill Wattenburg. Burns was hired by Clear Channel’s KKSF-AM 910 for the afternoon drive, but he never made it on the air. He suffered a stroke that affected the speech center of his brain.

“I am enthusiastic and thankful for the progress I have made,” he said on the Talk910 website in April 2012. “Most days, I have speech therapy and visits from great friends and colleagues.”

Before arriving at KGO in 1994, Burns worked in Baltimore (WCBM), Philadelphia (WCAU-AM), Boston (WRKO) and New York (WOR) and Orlando (WKIS).