Gary McNamara

Last updated
Gary McNamara
Bornc. 1956
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Alma mater Kenmore West Senior High School, Buffalo State College
Occupations radio personality, talk show host, political commentator
Notable credits
  • Midnight Radio Network co-host (2005–2011)
  • Red Eye Radio co-host (2011–present)
Website www.redeyeradioshow.com/gary-mcnamara/

Gary McNamara is an American radio talk show host, best known as the co-host of the syndicated overnight program Red Eye Radio alongside Eric Harley. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

McNamara was born around 1956 in Buffalo, New York, where he grew up. [2] He attended Kenmore West Senior High School. [3] He later studied at Buffalo State College. Before entering radio, McNamara worked as a janitor and machinist. He also has experience as a stand-up comedian. [4]

Career

McNamara began his radio career at WJJL in Niagara Falls, New York. He then returned to his hometown of Buffalo, broadcasting from WBEN. [5] Initially focused on music programming, he was compelled by a station owner to host a talk show, marking his entry into talk radio despite his initial reluctance. [2] He later worked at stations in Portland (KXL), Chicago (WLS), and Rockford, Illinois. [4] In 2000, McNamara joined WBAP in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. [6] There, he teamed up with Eric Harley in 2005 to co-host what was then known as the Midnight Radio Network (formerly the Midnight Trucking Radio Network). [7] The program, which originated as "The Midnight Cowboy" hosted by Bill Mack in 1969, transitioned from music to talk in the early 2000s. [2] In November 2011, it was renamed Red Eye Radio under Cumulus Media, and by January 2012, McNamara and Harley were announced as the hosts by Cumulus Media Networks.

The show airs from midnight to 5 a.m. Eastern Time, syndicated on over 240 stations nationwide, primarily targeting over-the-road truckers with discussions on national, world, and trucking-related issues. [1] As of 2025, McNamara and Harley have co-hosted the program for 20 years, covering major events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath, the Las Vegas shooting, and the Baltimore bridge collapse. [8] The show has been in national syndication with Westwood One for nearly 14 years.

Personal life

McNamara is single. [2] Outside of radio, he enjoys playing golf and participating in neighborhood pickup basketball games. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Red Eye Radio". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Finney, Lyndon (2020-11-01). "Overnight chemistry: Red Eye Radio longtime hosts Gary McNamara, Eric Harley dominate late-night airwaves". TheTrucker.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  3. ↑ McNamara, Gary. "Facebook page". Facebook.
  4. 1 2 3 "Red Eye Radio". News Talk WBAP-AM. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  5. ↑ "Gary McNamara". KDIZ 1570. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  6. ↑ "Gary McNamara". LinkedIn. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "Red Eye Radio With Eric Harley & Gary McNamara". KGNC-AM. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  8. ↑ Searight, Garrett (2025-07-28). "Gary McNamara and Eric Harley Reflect on 20 Years of Red Eye Radio". Barrett Media. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.