Rick "Gilly" Gilmour RIP old friend

He was known as Newsradio WTAM 1100’s “Media Darling.”

Former talk show host Rick Gilmour has passed away at the age of 48 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Gilmour, known to listeners as “Gilly”, was born on May 30, 1961. Gilly graduated from Fairview Park High School in 1979.

Rick worked in radio at college station WCSB, 1300 AM-WERE and here at WTAM 1100 from August '97 to 2004.

He was hired by program director Ray Davis after the resignation of Morton Downey Jr.

Rick Gilmour is survived by his mother, Irene.

Gilly was a friend of mine.  When I first heard the news over a year ago that he was sick I was kind of shocked.  I saw him only a week or two before at one of the local watering holes over here in North Olmsted.  We were drinking cheap beers, smoking way too many cigarettes and trying to have a game of Scrabble, but kept getting interrupted by the lack of attention span of my friend Elliott or something.  I don't recall 100%.  It's honestly the last time I saw him in all of his vibrancy.  

Gilly was one of the smartest people I ever met.  He knew everything about cars you ever needed to know and saved me multiple screwings by less than scrupulous mechanics around town.  To say he knew cars is an understatement.  However Gilly wasn't just some dumb grease monkey he was incredibly smart to the point of being gifted.  He had genius wit and timing.  He knew what to say, and when to say it just at the right time to make everyone bust out laughing.  I remember nights out in Fairview Park drinking it up at the Cleveland Motel Lounge or Gunselmen's just shooting the shit until the wee hours of the morning.  

 I remember the now famous time going to the white trash filled (now defunct) Cleveland Motel Lounge.  I walked up to the bar, sat next to Gilly, ordered whatever was "cheap, cold and easy" as Gilly would say, walked over to the jukebox and played Michael Jackson's "Black or White" 12 times in a row.  No one noticed until about the 3rd time but after that it was like all hell broke loose.  Gilly tried to convince them it was a different song after the first go around but the slack jawed yokels at the bar weren't buying it when it came on the 5th time.  Needless to say I was kicked out for a bit after that, but I was probably back there the next week throwing darts, playing Sinatra and drinking and smoking with Gilly.  

I remember being down in Tremont the night his cohort in crime Gary died.  I was at Hotz partying with friends when what seemed to be every police car in Cleveland zoomed passed heading towards Professor.  I thought something bad happened and man was I ever right.  As the way Gilly told me he turned his back for one second from his friend Gary only to turn back a split second later to see Gary more or less swallow a bullet at his own hands.  Gary suffered with depression for years.  He was a shy kind of guy.  I always enjoyed being out with him quite honestly.  Outside of the shyness I didn't see someone that would take his own life.  It is hard to even get me to go into Edison's anymore after that.  I have been there since but I just can't be comfortable there anymore.

Anyhow, Gary, I miss you too, but Gilly, Jesus man.  The one guy who always seemed larger than life to me wasn't supposed to die of cancer.  Especially not brain cancer.  He was legendary.  He was this college radio jackass funnyman that somehow made it into the hearts and homes of 10's of thousands of people that listened to him on the AM radio dial.  He was funny, smart, witty and humble.  He was gifted and talented and a good friend.  The kind of guy where months would pass by and we would pick up just right where we left off.  He was kind to others but still had a sarcastic wit to him that would crack me up every time.  

When I heard the news today he died I lost it.  I wasn't there at all.  It was the entire shock of hearing the news.  Gilly wasn't supposed to die.  I was worthless from 11AM this morning until...well honestly until I talked to our buddy in common Mark from WCSB.  Death sucks because of the fact you keep thinking of the person gone.  Nope, I'll never see Gilly again, but I have some great memories of my friend because honestly there are no bad ones.  We never got in a fight, never got pissed at each other.  We complimented each other when we were out and about.  We played off each other like a old vaudeville comedy team.  I worked in blue while he was the G-rated straight man.  I'm rambling now but all I want to really say is Rick "Gilly" Gilmour you will be missed by many but to the ones who you were close to you are never going to be forgotten.