Longtime Radio Personality 'Memphis' Mark Billingsley Passes At 53

'Memphis' Mark Passes

MARK BILLINGSLEY, a longtime on-air personality with CUMULUS MEDIA Country WGKX (KIX 106)/MEMPHIS, died TUESDAY afternoon following several weeks of illness, according to the MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL.  He was 53.

CUMULUS' ALAN KIRSHBORN described BILLINGSLEY as "an extraordinary MEMPHIS TIGERS fan... He was just a gregarious, fun, outgoing guy. Everyone who came across him felt he was their best friend and they had known him for years."

"Memphis" MARK was on the air with the station for more than 20 years.

He suffered a medical emergency while doing his afternoon show at the station NOVEMBER 23rd and was taken to the hospital, where he underwent brain surgery and never regained consciousness. BILLINGSLEY died at BAPTIST MEMORIAL HOSPITAL in MEMPHIS YESTERDAY.

KIX 106 PD DUANE SHANNON told the COMMERCIAL-APPEAL BILLINGSLEY died surrounded by family and friends.

SHANNON described MARK'S "big, deep, resonating voice, greeing listeners with a robust 'Hellooooooooo BARTLETT!' or "Well helloooooooo HOLLY SPRINGS!'"

His daily sign-off was "I'm headed to my little piece of AMERICA in FAYETTE COUNTY."

BILLINGSLEY also spent time at FM100/MEMPHIS and SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO.

For tributes, check out the KIX 106 FACEBOOK page.  There is a fundraising page for his family here.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

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