Whatever happened to this kind of personality top forty?? Never mind, we know the answer (that’s why I’m not in the biz anymore…)
Don Cox, WINZ-FM (I95) Ft. Lauderdale/Miami Beach | July 2, 1984
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Is it me…or do AM stations sound better? 😉
Thank you for putting this up.
R.I.P. Cox on the Radio.
I-95 was hot from late 1981 until about 1983, from what I can recall.
It caught Y-100 off caught, but the mighty WHYI successfully fought off a station that took advantage of the demise of 96X.
I-95 went back to Zeta after WSHE exploded in the ratings with a Hot Rock format.
I-95 could have stayed in the CHR fight, but it was really a flash-in-the-pan station with a mountain to climb against “America’s Megastation” in a market about to rapidly change with the arrival of Cuban immigrants and a whole generation of high-school age offspring from those who fled Cuba in the early 1960s.
The result? Hot 105 shot to No. 1, and then Power 96 took over.
Y-100 stumbled in the mid 1980s because it suddenly had an identity crisis, and by 1988 eventually failed in its valiant effort to be the “everything” station Z100 was in New York.
But a white rock n roll jock (Sonny Fox) anchoring mornings on a Top 40 station balancing Erotic Exotic records with Heart and Van Halen – even with Miami Vice the hottest thing on TV – just couldn’t compete with Power’s dance music and “She’s Only Rock n Roll.”
R.I.P. Cox on the Radio.
I-95 WAS ON THE AIR FROM 1981 TO’86, WHEN IT CHANGED ITS NAME TO 95 INZ, THEN TO 94.9 ZETA, AND NOW IT’S CALLED MEGA 94.9, WHICH IS A HISPANIC STATION. GET IT?
Wow! I still dream of Don often. To hear his voice fills me with mixed emotions. Proud and sad. He had brilliant moments. He left all of us WAY too soon. Thank you for posting. March Cox
Another great radio aircheck! As always thanks to Steve for putting gems like this on the net so they have a place to reach those wanting to remember and more importantly wanting to know what real radio broadcasting was like.
I had the oppotunity to work with cox and loved it.
When you say South Florida f m radio in English you have to mention Cox on the radio.
oh the memories …
Cox was one of my favorites , and was a landmark ib south florida radio along with Rick Shaw. And yes he did leave us so soon ,but is legacy lives we will always Remember “Sonny in the Morning “
I am a native Miamian and have always been passionate about radio.I grew up taking my parents beach radio and listening to the fm dial for hours.I remember Cox on the radio on stations such as 96x,Y-100-I-95,Power96,never heard him his final years on 99.9kissfm.His unique style and funny but classy comments inspired me and today I am a professional on air radio personality as well as a celebrity nightclub dj and I must say that Don Cox,Cox on the radio,was my inspiration to become a professional broadcaster.I have heard some people say negative things about cox on the radio but I never met him personally and frankly ,I dnt care about that part of his life.I can only say about the genius that I heard on the air and his charisma.He is and always will be a legend.If you hear me on the air you actually might hear little remarks and exclamations that might remind you of him.
sonny fox is still alive anfd today he has a show somewhere on sirius satellite radio.
oops I mention two people and one article thanks carlos just was typing fast ,,, Cox is who I thought was no longer . I now live in kansas city but grew up in south florida as well and in Pompano beach/lighthouse point I miss those good ole days of south florida ,now it’s all corperate now .. Thanks Carlos ..
I grew up in pompano beach/lighthouse point area and like you Carlos I to miss it
fuck this is awesome..1-95radio station nepenthes dance club
fuck!
THIS MAN FOUGHT FOR THE RADIO BIZZ, AND YES THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH RADIO PAYOLA!!!!!!!!
What about when Cox played smugglers blues over and over? Good times!
This is one of the only ways I can hear my father’s voice again. I love this.
Amen to that! He left us far too soon.
I always preferred AM to FM, but I’m 54, so I grew up on it. There are probably no more than a handful of US AM stations that still play music.
Thanks for putting this up. If there were a dictionary entry for “credit to the dj profession”, Cox’s picture would be right there!