Philly Radio: Iconic Personality Don Cannon Has Died

Don Cannon

A Philadelphia radio legend, Don Cannon, has passed away.

He was 74.

He died at 3am Friday, August 22nd. He had been in Lankenau Hospital for almost a month. According to friends at WOGL, Cannon died from an abscess in his tooth that spread to his brain.

Cannon, who was born Dominic Canzano in Yonkers, N.Y., had been doing morning radio in Philadelphia since 1969, and was the morning man on WOGL 98.1 FM from 1990 until his retirement in 2004.   He began his career with Top40 WIBG and has also been heard on WIP, WFIL, WIFI, and WSNI.

In the eighties, Cannon was program director of WSNI and WPGR.

In the original Rocky movie, when the morning alarm clock goes off for Rocky's run, it was Cannon's voice on the radio.

In a statement, WOGL said:

Don Cannon's voice was a top rated morning radio fixture in Philadelphia spanning five decades starting in 1969 with WIBG through his retirement in 2004 from 98.1 WOGL-FM. "Cannon in The Morning" entertained millions of people each day for thirty five years as the handsome and entertaining radio star on WIP, WFIL, WIFI, and WSNI and Oldies 98.1 WOGL.  

Don also spent time on the management side of the industry as Program Director of WSNI and WPGR. From 1990 until his retirement in 2004 WOGL FM 98.1 was home to the legendary "Cannon in the Morning" show. 

Cannon's signature voice with a smile was part of a pivotal scene from the original "Rocky" motion picture. As Sylvester Stallone readied for his run throughout the city it was Don Cannon's energetic voice on then WIBG that was Rocky's soundtrack to Rocky drinking his signature raw egg drink.  

Don often joked that people missed his cameo because they were so grossed out by the drinking of the eggs that they were yelling during the scene and missed some of his announcing! 

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell called Cannon "an incredible citizen" who volunteered to emcee events benefiting the city when Rendell was mayor.

"He was a dynamic personality. His voice was incredible, and he would light up a room," Rendell said.

"Don was a legend among legends," Gerry Wilkinson of Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia wrote on the group's website. "When you thought of morning drive, you had to think of Don Cannon. He was one of the good people in this industry. I can't remember a time when someone asked Don to do something and he couldn't or didn't do it."

Cannon received a lifetime achievement award from the March of Dimes.

The WOGL Breakfast Club will remember Don Cannon on Monday, August 25.  Click Here to Listen.