Bill Lawson Jr.
a.k.a.
“Dollar Bill” Lawson
Bill Lawson, known to his huge radio audience as, “Dollar Bill”, is onehalf of the top-rated morning team of “The Dollar Bill & Madison Show”,
heard on Birmingham’s 102.5 THE BULL.
Dollar Bill Lawson grew up in the Birmingham area, went to public schools
there, and due to his self-described “maximum attention to teenage boy
priorities” then graduated high school, as well as earning an Associate
Degree in Arts and Science at The Marion Military Institute. During his
college years at MMI, Bill took many courses and participated strongly in the
theatre program at Judson College. Leading in productions of Tartuffe,
Charlie’s Aunt, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum,
Cyrano de Bergerac and others. Bill gives major credit to the Marion
Institute for changing his life dramatically by building a solid foundation of
Truth, Honor and Service in his life.
Bill then received his BA degree in Communications in 1976, at the
University of Alabama, While attending the University of Alabama Bill
worked in local and educational television, as well as radio, and worked in
local community theatre. After graduation, he worked at radio stations in
Selma, Alabama and Florence, Alabama, then moved back home to
Birmingham in 1979. For years Bill was a “Rock Jock” on WERC and
KICKS106, had a popular talk show in the early 1980’s, and even spent
several years, flying mornings and afternoons as a live helicopter traffic
reporter!
Bill Lawson became “Dollar Bill” in 1984, as he began his almost twenty
years with Birmingham powerhouse WZZK radio. Dollar Bill stayed there,
working in promotions as well as on the air, finishing up in 2002, after almost
10 years in mornings, 8 of those years as the top-rated morning show in
Birmingham. Since 2002, Dollar Bill has been on Clear Channel’s amazingly
successful FM country giant WDXB - FM, known as “102.5 THE BULL”.
Since 1979 Dollar Bill has received many awards, both locally and
nationally for his commercial production and voice work. You’ve probably
heard his voice on many radio and television commercials that have aired all
over the state and country, and has been the in-house voice announcer for
WBRC-TV Fox 6 for almost 15 years. The Alabama Broadcaster's
Association has awarded Dollar Bill and his on-air partner, Madison, the
coveted Large Market Personalities of the Year for the state of Alabama the
last 4 years in a row. Bill also speaks regularly to large groups, organizations
and at hundreds of public and private functions all year long.
During the last 30 years, Dollar Bill has worked tirelessly for charities,
schools and social organizations. He has been a telethon host every year
since 1979 for United Cerebral Palsy’s UCP Telethon, or the Muscular
Dystrophy (Jerry’s Kids) Telethon, and The Children’s Hospital of Alabama
Telethon and Radiothon. Bill has worked with hundreds of fundraising
events for the Cancer Society, Head Injury Foundation, Easter Seals, and The
Diabetes Association. Every year since 2003, Bill has trained in Memphis
and become an ambassador and Radiothon fundraiser for St. Jude’s
Children’s Research Hospital and many, many others.
Bill Lawson loves his wife Mary, his family and his country. Bill’s wife
Mary is a V.P. in banking, having worked for the same banking institution for
over 45 years. Dollar Bill’s Dad, lives in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Bill’s
father, Dr. Lawson, is a retired dentist. Mary’s son, earned his PhD in
biophysics at Harvard, and lives in Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife,
Quenby and their two sons Reilly and Zachary. Bill’s daughter Angela, lives
in Florence, Alabama. Bill and Mary reside in Alabaster, Alabama. Dollar
Bill enjoys all types of music, airplanes and flying, woodworking, flying,
theatre, photography, traveling and most of all flying, and has been a
professional air-show announcer for over 25 years.