Known for her catchphrase, "Love ya! Mean it!", Jill Tracey was an institution in South Florida radio who gave listeners all the juiciest celebrity gossip as well as a platform to discuss the issues of the day. She died Friday at age 60.
"Jill's vibrant spirit and infectious laughter will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her," said a statement from the South Florida National Association of Black Journalists that was shared by WPLG news anchor Calvin Hughes. Tracey was actively involved with the organization.
Jill Tracey was with WHQT HOT 105 FM on and off for more than 30 years in various roles but was laid off in June along with veteran radio personality, James T. Most recently she hosted a community engagement show on the weekend called Hot Talk with Jill Tracey and the daily morning show from 6-10 a.m. The reasoning behind Tracey and James T's firings was unclear as representatives from Cox Media Group, which owns HOT 105 and Miami station 99 Jamz, didn't respond to the Miami Herald's request for comment at the time.
"It is with heavy hearts that we remember Jill Tracey, a remarkable voice in Miami radio and a beloved figure at HOT 105 FM. South Florida has lost a true radio icon and community voice," the station posted in a statement on its website. "For years, Jill Tracey graced the airwaves with her dynamic personality, insightful commentary, and passion for serving her community. Known not only for her work as a radio host but also as a community leader, Jill's impact extended far beyond the studio walls.� ��
Miami radio personality Cindy Doucet, known to fans as Supa Cindy, who worked on Cox Media Group radio station 99 Jamz for two decades, told the Herald in a statement that she considers Tracey a "legend."
"Jill was my sister," said Doucet. "I am devastated and heartbroken. She did so much in and for the community and deserves to be remembered as one of the greats."
At the time of her death, Jill was running for Hollywood's District 2 commissioner, hoping to replace the city's first Black commissioner Linda Anderson.
Tracey started her career as a South Beach gossip columnist, which led to radio and TV jobs that took her to Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and back to Miami. During the late '90s Tracey's life as a radio star began to rise on WEDR 99 Jamz. There wasn't a club opening she didn't attend, a celebrity who could sneak into town without her finding out or some dirt she couldn't dig up.
A 1997 Herald profile described Tracey, who for years hosted a celebrity gossip segment on air called "The 4-1-1," as a "gossip guru, entertainment reporter and social butterfly. Tracey's business is other folks' business."
Jill Tracey does her morning show from her apartment on the beach for the Hot105 morning show in March 1997. Tracey died Friday, Nov. 1. She was 60.
"I am that sister-girl in your kitchen gossiping," Tracey told the Herald. "I am giving people what they want. People have a natural curiosity about stars. They want to know who did what to whom and when."
Tracey was a past president of the NABJ South Florida chapter and championed diversity and excellence in journalism, leaving a lasting impact on the community she loved. According to the NABJ statement, Tracey recently faced health challenges, but her "resilience and determination never wavered."
"Her legacy will continue to inspire and uplift those she touched throughout her life," the statement read. "As we remember Jill, we celebrate her contributions, her spirit, and the laughter she brought into our lives. She will always hold a special place in our hearts."
'Always a cocktail in the mix'Friends of Tracey described her as a renaissance woman who was fashionable, a food and music connoisseur and cared deeply about her community.
Born and raised in Detroit, Tracey first came to South Florida as a student at Florida Memorial University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in clinical, counseling and applied psychology, but she quickly found her true calling in media.
Jill Tracey, the iconic voice of South Florida's airwaves, is pictured here in a headshot taken for Essence Magazine. Tracey, who is originally from Detroit and graduated from Florida Memorial University, died Friday, Nov. 1. She was 60.
During a brief stint at a radio station in Los Angeles she met close friend Stephanie Anderson, who described Tracey as "that girl."
"She just was so genuinely loving and kind to everybody," Anderson told the Miami Herald. "She genuinely cared for everybody that she met even if she didn't agree with you. She was extremely respectful and kind."
The two grew closer when Anderson moved to South Florida and were practically inseparable. Anderson said Tracey made South Florida home, adding that she cared about her community and was involved with various organizations such as the Embrace Girls Foundation.
"I'm still very much numb and in shock thinking that at some point, I'm going to wake up and this is going to be a dream or a nightmare," she said. Anderson was the one who found Tracey unresponsive in her home Friday morning. Tracey's two dogs, Lola Dewberry and Joy, were beside her at the time.
Friend and former coworker Suzan McDowell described Tracey as "jubilant."
"She was a big deal in radio, especially Black radio," McDowell said, recalling the days when she'd listen to Tracey's show for the latest celebrity gossip. "There's a few iconic people and she's on that list."
Natalie Piner, Senior Director of News Talent, Culture & Training with McClatchy, the Miami Herald's parent company, said she grew to know Tracey after working on a project aimed at helping the Herald have better outreach with the Black community.
"We just hit it off," she said, recalling that Tracey had invited her to her 50th birthday celebration and they became close friends. "She was like the auntie to my kids and would love and be there for us."
One of her favorite memories was in August when the two celebrated their birthdays at a rented house in Hollywood.
Both McDowell and Piner recalled Tracey's joy and zest for food and life: "Every time I come to her house, she was trying to feed us and give us something to drink," Piner said. "Always a cocktail in the mix."
Controversies and challengesTracey's life wasn't without controversy. In 1998, she was arrested for shoplifting $300 worth of products, including Prada shoes, at a Neiman Marcus at Sawgrass Mills, according to a Miami Herald article.
At the time, Tracey was president of the South Florida chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and lost her job with HOT 105, the Herald reported. McDowell said Tracey was trying to "keep up with the Joneses."
"She had to keep up with appearances because she was the bon vivant; she was the girl around town," she said.
Tracey also struggled with her weight. Tracey appeared on Iyanla Vanzant's show "Fix My Life" and to tackle her weight loss issues. She underwent bariatric surgery a few years ago. In recent years, Anderson said, Tracey had been dealing with heart issues, but there had been nothing recent that indicated anything she was dealing with was immediately life threatening. Two years ago, she lost her mother, Linda Joy, and earlier this year she lost a beloved dog, Princess.
And then in June, Tracey was laid off from HOT 105, a surprise that left her and fans reeling.
Friend and former co-worker Rodney Baltimore described Tracey as opinionated and bold. "She was on the forefront of South Beach before South Beach evolved into what it is. Jill was there already and knew what was happening," he said.
Still, Baltimore believed the loss of her job took a toll on her. "I think she missed being on the air," he said.
Jill, the politicianIn more recent months, Tracey made a bid for Hollywood District 2 commissioner, where she would've replaced Linda Anderson, the city's first Black commissioner.
Tracey was encouraged to run to help others in her community, friends said. The last conversation she and Piner had was about her campaign and how committed she was to helping those who were less fortunate. "She dealt with not having any insurance, not having a job that appreciated her," Piner said. "She wanted to be that voice for other people's stories because she empathizes so much with everybody else."
Anderson, who served as her campaign manager, echoed those sentiments adding that she was particularly concerned about the Liberia community, a historically Black neighborhood.
Jill Tracey (far right) poses with friend Stephanie Alexander (far left) and a friend at an event honoring Oakland Park Commissioner Aisha Gordon for a decade of service. Tracey, an iconic voice in South Florida, died Friday, Nov. 1. She was 60.
"She definitely wanted to preserve Liberia because she'd been in Miami Beach when it was destroyed by developers," Anderson said, adding Tracey had seen the same thing happen in Overtown.
In her last Instagram post, Tracey appeared to be making peace with the loss of her job, thanking listeners for supporting her over her 30-year career. She could be seen in her car, getting ready to cast her ballot for herself as commissioner and hinted at a podcast project she'd been working on.
The sound cuts off toward the end of the video, but you can see her mouth that famous catchphrase, "Love ya! Mean it! Bye Bye," as she blows a kiss.
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. A GoFundMe has been set up in Tracey's memory.
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