Overview

David "Daisy" Day (1951 – 1 May 2015) was an Australian radio personality and disc jockey whose career spanned several decades. He began on community and regional airwaves as a teenager and later became a familiar voice on commercial stations in Adelaide. Day's on-air work, storytelling and music programming made him a recognizable figure in rock and popular music radio in the region.

Early life and career beginnings

Born in New South Wales, Day started in broadcasting at age 16 in Moree. Those early experiences in local studios taught him the practical skills of a disc jockey: selecting music, timing, patter, and audience engagement. Like many Australian radio presenters of his generation, he moved from regional work into larger markets as his profile and experience grew.

Stations, style and influence

Day is best known for his work on stations such as 5KA and Triple M during the 1970s and later years in South Australia. His presence on the air combined music programming with conversational banter, interviews and a casual persona that earned him the nickname "Daisy." He represented a form of music-led broadcasting that emphasized personality-driven shows, helping shape listener habits and local rock radio culture.

Notable work and publication

Beyond live shows, Day recorded his memories and career stories in an autobiography published in 2013 titled Rock Jock. The book collected anecdotes from his time on the road and behind the microphone and provided a first-person account of the changes in radio and popular music across decades. His written memoir complemented the legacy he left on the airwaves.

Personal life, health and death

Day lived and worked in Adelaide for much of his later life. He had experienced health problems in the years before his death and died on 1 May 2015 in Adelaide at the age of 63. Colleagues and listeners remembered him for his warmth on air and for mentoring younger broadcasters.

Legacy and context

As a practitioner of commercial radio and a long-serving broadcaster, Day's career illustrates the path of regional talent moving into metropolitan radio in Australia. His story touches on broader shifts in the industry: the rise of personality radio, the consolidation of stations, and how presenters archived their experiences through books like Rock Jock. For listeners in South Australia and beyond, Day remains a part of the local broadcast history and memory of rock radio in the late 20th century.