Moby aka James Carney loses cancer battle

September 12, 2023

James Carney, 69, known to his loyal Houston radio rock fans as “Moby” on 97 Rock KSRR and 101 KLOL through the 1980s, has died after battling stage 4 stomach cancer.

“The Texas Radio Hall Fame, mourns the loss of another of our broadcast brethren, a true giant in the industry,” Doug Harris, executive director of the TRHoF and former KLOL promotions director told mikemcguff.com. “There are few radio personalities who are able to achieve market dominance in three different major markets, and that’s what our friend Moby did. We send our condolences to his wife, Mary Beth, and all of the Carney family.”

Moby left afternoons on KLOL Houston for Atlanta country station Kicks 101.5 WKHX (now called New Country 101-FIVE) in the early 1990s.

Before KLOL, he left Houston for mornings on 97.1 The Eagle KEGL.

Houston radio got its first dose of “Moby in the Morning” with his famous catch phrase “Get your lazy asses outta bed!” on his 97 Rock KSRR Houston morning show.

The jock retired from his syndicated country morning show in 2016.

Since then, Moby was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame’s Annual Induction 2022.

Moby also returned to Space City on Houston Radio Platinum.

“I’m heartbroken,” fellow Houston Radio Platinum DJ Chris Alan (KLOL, KKRW) told mikemcguff.com. “I was a fan, co-worker & friend. Moby was such a kind and selfless person. I’m going to miss our phone conversations. Moby made so many people laugh, I loved hearing HIM laugh. Rest peacefully my friend.”

Carney was nicknamed “Moby” after nearly drowning at the age of 12 and someone snarkily commenting that the future DJ looked like Moby Dick according to the Radio Years website.

According to the same site, Moby started working in his hometown of Crossville, Tennessee at 1490 WCSV playing Sunday morning gospel music at age 15.

According to radioINSIGHT, he would later work for WAMB, WKDF, WKQB and “98 Rock” WQXM Tampa.