1. Musician Mojo Nixon dies at 66
2. Radio personality Mojo Nixon passes away at 66.

Musician, radio personality Mojo Nixon, who was from Danville, dies at 66

One of Danville’s most famous sons has, like Elvis, left the building.

Mojo Nixon, the beloved musician, actor, and radio personality, known for his novelty hit “Elvis Is Everywhere,” passed away on Wednesday at the age of 66. He was on the Outlaw Country Cruise, where he was serving as a co-host and performer, when he died.

The news of Mojo Nixon’s death was shared by his family on his Facebook page. They wrote, “How you live is how you should die. Mojo Nixon was full-tilt, wide-open rock hard, root hog, corner on two wheels + on fire… Passing after a blazing show, a raging night, closing the bar, taking no prisoners + a good breakfast with bandmates and friends. A cardiac event on the Outlaw Country Cruise is about right… & that’s just how he did it, Mojo has left the building Since Elvis is everywhere, we know he was waiting for him in the alley out back. Heaven help us all.”

Born as Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1957, Mojo Nixon grew up in Danville. Although details about his Danville upbringing are hard to find online, he often talked about his hometown during his daily show on Sirius XM’s satellite radio’s Outlaw Country channel.

According to Sirius, Mojo Nixon’s father ran a soul radio station (WILA) in Danville during the peak years of soul music, exposing a young Mojo to artists like Arthur Conley and James Brown.

Mojo Nixon’s journey in music started after he graduated from Miami University in Ohio with degrees in political science and history. He then moved to Denver, where he became a community organizer and played in punk rock bands. Eventually, he made his way to San Diego, where he formulated the persona of Mojo Nixon during a cross-country bicycle trip back home to Virginia. He described Mojo Nixon as a bombastic mix of the blues musician Howlin’ Wolf and the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn.

Back in San Diego, Mojo Nixon joined forces with Richard Banke, also known as Skid Roper, a local rockabilly musician. Together, they released their first album, “Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper,” which featured rockabilly songs with humorous themes. One of their albums included the hit song “Wide Open,” which mentioned Pittsylvania County and put Mojo Nixon on the map.

However, it was their third album that truly catapulted Mojo Nixon to fame. The album featured the novelty hit “Elvis Is Everywhere,” a cowpunk/rockabilly homage to Elvis Presley and his dedicated fans. The song and its low-budget video became an unexpected MTV staple, earning Mojo Nixon an appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show.

Throughout his career, Mojo Nixon released a total of 14 albums, both solo and with various collaborators. He worked with notable musicians such as Dave Alvin, the Beat Farmers, and Jello Biafra. His songs showcased his unique sense of humor, with titles like “Orenthal James Was a Mighty Bad Man,” “Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child,” and “Don Henley Must Die.”

In addition to his music career, Mojo Nixon dabbled in acting. He appeared as a drummer in the 1989 movie “Great Balls of Fire” and had roles in “Super Mario Brothers” (1993) and “Car 54, Where Are You?” (1994). He also inspired a documentary called “The Mojo Manifesto,” which premiered in 2022 at the South by Southwest festival.

For the past 16 years, Mojo Nixon was a beloved radio personality on Sirius XM, hosting a country music show and a NASCAR show from his home in Cincinnati. His radio work made him a cult figure, with fans creating Twitter accounts like “Church of Mojo Nixon” in his honor.

Mojo Nixon’s legacy lives on through the musicians he inspired and the impact he made on the music industry. He will be remembered as a larger-than-life character who infused roots music with the energy of punk rock, leaving a lasting imprint on the music world.

Rest in peace, Mojo Nixon.

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1) Musician and radio personality Mojo Nixon, from Danville, dies at 66
2) Remembering Mojo Nixon: Musician and radio personality from Danville passes away at 66.