Monday, January 18, 2016

R.I.P.: Longtime WCOA Pensacola Talk Host Luke McCoy

Luke McCoy
Luke McCoy was performance name of Luther Ralton Eason  a longtime talk host for WCOA 1370 AM in Pensacola.

Luke died at his home Friday in South Carolina after a year long battle with lung cancer. He was 76 years-of-age, according to T.H Merritt at  WZEP.

He hosted the “Pensacola Speaks” call-in show as well as the morning news program with retired Escambia County deputy Don Parker. He was to married to Katherine Ann Delton-McCoy, an account executive with Cumulus Broadcasting, WCOA’s parent company.

McCoy served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, where he was wounded in action. He and callers frequently exchange the Marines greeting, “Semper Fi.”

He began his 40 year broadcast career in the 1960s after his return from Vietnam.  His distinctive voice rose to prominence at the height of AM radio poularity where he worked at WBSR, WNVY and other stations.

McCoy joined WCOA in 1993 and was known for his outspoken conservative views, McCoy described himself as “the common man’s intellectual.” In 2006, he founded the organization WASPO (We Are Seriously P*ssed Off) in opposition to illegal immigration.

On May 18, 2007, McCoy stepped down as host of the “Pensacola Speaks” program. He offered no explanation for his departure except to say, “I’ve made some powerful enemies and I thought it best for the station and all concerned that I step aside.”  However, He returned (again without explanation) when the show resumed on June 11, less than 60 day later.

In late 2008, he retired from radio effective December 19th of that year. He retired to North Augusta, South Carolina.

No comments:

Post a Comment