Bobby Bones

Bobby Bones (born Bobby Estell) is a radio personality, television host and author best known for The Bobby Bones Show, American Idol and winning Dancing With the Stars season 27. Bones was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he attended Henderson State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Radio/Television in 2002.

Bones began his radio career at age 17, working at a campus station before landing a job in Little Rock. He later moved to Austin, Texas, where The Bobby Bones Show gained popularity as a country music radio station. In 2013, the show was syndicated nationally by iHeartMedia, reaching millions of listeners across the U.S. He went on to join American Idol in 2018 as a mentor. That same year, he and partner Sharna Burgess won season 27 of Dancing With the Stars.

In addition to his radio and TV work, Bones is a bestselling author with two memoirs: Bare Bones, I’m Not Lonely If You’re Reading This Book (2016) and Fail Until You Don’t (2018). He launched the reality show Breaking Bobby Bones on National Geographic in 2021 and, the following year, he hosted the competition show Snakes in the Grass.

Bones tied the knot with Caitlin Parker in July 2021 after meeting through mutual friends.