"Gatesy" Al Gates was WRKO's first Morning-Driver. And his co-host was New England's first Morning Bird! "Feathers" was Al's foil, and worked for pigeon feed. So, Al Gates gave us "the bird," literally, and the duo did what it could to make us laugh, back in 1967.

Al left WRKO shortly after Bill Drake took the station into what Gates perceived as a restrictive format. Feeling he couldn't work under those conditions, Al took Feathers under his arm, and left the Big 68.  He was replaced by Bobby Mitchell, who himself filled in until Dale Dorman arrived.

The million-dollar bill (below) is a promotional item that was apparently distributed to certain listeners during Gates' days on WRKO. Note newscaster Palmer Payne's signature at the left of the item, and sportscaster Curt Gowdy's John Hancock at the right. Al's is above the green "680."

Gates parlayed his personality and range of voices into an announcing empire, his current and/or previous clients including the likes of Pillsbury, Merrill-Lynch, ESPN, Fuji Photo, Johnson & Johnson, Hershey's, Ford, Kodak, General Foods, Pizza Hut, and so many more. You may have heard his voice on radio and TV.