Etta Cox, originally from St. Joseph, Missouri, has performed in the tri-state area for many years. She has appeared on Broadway in I LOVE MY WIFE, with Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, the 1940’s RADIO HOUR with Dee Dee Bridgewater, as well as the starring role in Showtime’s production of THE ME NOBODY KNOWS. Locally she has appeared in the Pittsburgh Public Theaters’ MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, City Theaters’ productions of FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, SPUNK, AVENUE X and CROWNS. She is well remembered for her starring roles in Ken Gargaro’s production of BEEHIVE and the Shakespeare Festivals TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Her film career started in 1985 with SILENT WITNESS, starring Valerie Bertinelli and John Savage, LADY BEWARE, with Diane Lane and Michael Woods, CRIMINAL JUSTICE with Jennifer Grey an Forrest Whitaker, BUMP IN THE NIGHT with Meredith Baxter and Christopher Reeves and THE CEMETERY CLUB with Ellen Burstyn and Danny Aiello.
Ms. Cox was the co-host of the television talk show CITYLIFE.
She and Al Dowe have been performing not only in the Pittsburgh area but New York, Atlantic City and Key West Florida. They were also the co-owners of the popular jazz club DOWE’S ON 9TH. They have opened for such names as Ray Charles, Doc Severinson, David Brenner, Debbie Reynolds Donald O’Connor, Danny Glover, Ossie Davis, Mavis Staples, Mark Murphy and many others. She and Mr. Dowe made a premiere performance with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theaters’ production of SMOKIN’ ROSES with performances at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater and Wolf Trap.
Etta Cox has been voted “Best Jazz Vocalist” in Pittsburgh for 8 consecutive years and has received the Harry Schwalb Award for Excellence in the Arts and was selected as one of the 25 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN PITTSBURGH by Pittsburgh Magazine and voted Performer of the Year by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Ms. Cox is currently a Voice and Solfeggio teacher at CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts High School) and is a member of Covenant Church of Pittsburgh, under Bishop Joseph Garlington.