SPRINGFIELD ― John O’Brien, longtime co-host of Rock 102’s Bax & O’Brien morning show and a fixture in Western Massachusetts radio, died Sunday after a 14-year battle with cancer. He was 65.
O’Brien spent nearly three decades as half of the Bax & O’Brien morning team, building a loyal audience with his sharp humor and candid takes on life.
Off the air, he championed local charities, most notably the Mayflower Marathon food drive, which has raised millions for families in need. O’Brien’s death came a day before the annual kickoff of the massive food drive.
A voice for WMass
His longtime co-host, Mike Baxendale, said Monday that O’Brien’s humor and resilience defined their decades on air together.
Baxendale said Monday that he started working with O’Brien in 1995.
“For 27 years, we had a tremendous run at success in ways that not only had Springfield not seen before but, nationally speaking, there were very few morning shows in the country that were resonating like we were,” he said.
Baxendale said the magic of the show happened because they were very different people. In real life, he said, they had little in common. They often argued and disagreed, and their values were completely different.
That, Baxendale said, was the “beauty” of the show.
“It was kind of like listening to ‘The Odd Couple,’” he said. “We were both very proud of the show we did.”
Baxendale said many have described O’Brien as a “curmudgeon” who had a pessimistic world view.
Still, he said, O’Brien had a big heart. O’Brien also felt an obligation to serve his Western Massachusetts community, and that deep and clear connection helped their show grow its audience. It even developed into a job as a local part-time police officer, a dream he had from childhood, Baxendale said.
“He finally got a chance to become a cop years later,” Baxendale said. “When I took the job in 1995 was a real benefit, because he knew everybody, and that made things a whole lot easier for the two of us.”
O’Brien’s death coming just before the Mayflower Marathon is significant, because it was a big deal for both of them, he said. The event connected them to the community in ways most radio shows never get to experience, Baxendale said. The food drive began Monday.
Larger than life
Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said O’Brien was more than the voice people woke up to on Rock 102. He called him a true friend with warmth, wit and a big heart behind his larger-than-life radio persona.
Cocchi said O’Brien was a true character whose audience ranged politically from progressive to conservative. He said O’Brien’s honesty and authenticity let him speak the truth in a way listeners respected ― even from those who disagreed with him.
He added that kind of honesty is often missing in national, state and local politics.
Cocchi said O’Brien was a big man with a deep voice and a strong presence on the air. Off the air, he was nothing like the “crusty curmudgeon” he played on the show.
O’Brien, Baxendale and co-host Steve Nagle mixed their real personalities with on-air characters that played off each other, creating the chemistry that listeners loved, he said.
Cocchi said he came to respect O’Brien because he always did his homework. O’Brien read widely from newspapers and other media to shape his views and wasn’t afraid to share them. Cocchi admired that quality.
O’Brien’s career lasted more than 30 years in a major media market, and the success of the Bax & O’Brien program — and later Bax, O’Brien and Nagle — was built on structure, authenticity and transparency, he said.
Final days
Cocchi said he was likely the last person to attend a public event with O’Brien. He picked him up at home and took him to the Bright Nights Ball on Nov. 8.
During the ride home, O’Brien shared that he didn’t expect to live past winter. He said years of cancer treatments had weakened his heart, leaving him exhausted.
“‘Gee, John,’ I said, ‘come on now … you got to think positive,’” Cocchi recounted tearfully. “That broke my heart. When I dropped him off and walked him to his door, I gave him a hug.”
He said he encouraged O’Brien to get out for some fresh air. When he drove away, Cocchi thought it might be the last time he saw him.
Cocchi said it was clear that O’Brien’s mobility was gone, such that even simple things had become a chore, Cocchi said. On a recent visit, after O’Brien got dressed with his brother’s help, the sheriff saw that he struggled to breathe and walk.
“I felt helpless and sad,” Cocchi said.
Cocchi likened O’Brien’s commitment to public service to President John F. Kennedy, saying O’Brien always did what was right, even when it wasn’t popular.
“He embodied that very philosophy; that’s why we were such friends,” he said.
Cocchi said the Bax and O’Brien morning show drew listeners from all walks of life. Callers often had wildly different opinions, but the show welcomed everyone and encouraged open discussion.
He called that openness the show’s greatest strength. The program focused on facts, while allowing debate, creating a space where people could share views freely, Cocchi said.
Humor and heart
Many paid tribute to O’Brien on Monday, praising his humor, generosity and commitment to the community.
Comedian Jess Miller — who worked with O’Brien on a show to raise money for a local fire department about 10 years ago — said he simply was a class act.
“He was dressed in a full pink flamingo suit, and I 100% roasted him for it. He loved it, and I will always remember him for that and the kindness he showed, not only to me, but his community — especially for collecting food for people dealing with food insecurity,” Miller said.
Miller said starting something that successful takes a special person, and she hopes people remember the good O’Brien brought to Western Massachusetts.
In a statement, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said that he was deeply saddened by the death of the “lovable curmudgeon” and Hall of Fame broadcaster.
He recalled O’Brien’s public fight with cancer and his strong support for public safety, especially police.
Sarno recalled their last meeting at the Bright Nights Ball, saying O’Brien still made him laugh despite his struggles.
“If he wasn’t busting your or my chops, you’d know that something was wrong,” he wrote. “As he enters the gates of heaven, I’m sure he’ll give St. Peter an earful.”
