Betty taught piano and Louis played in and conducted brass bands, becoming head of music at Mana College in Wellington where his son was educated.

[2] Fox initially played the trumpet, changing to the trombone when that instrument was needed in the Mana College band.

[2][7] At the time Fox found that older musicians were not affording younger players the opportunities to play which spurred him to start his own band.

[7] The Rodger Fox Big Band toured in New Zealand and overseas, playing at jazz festivals in Monterey, Montreux, Wichita and Manly.

[3] In support of this view and to encourage the development of jazz playing and his initiatives in jazz education Fox brought many American jazz musicians to New Zealand to perform with his band: singer Diane Schuur, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, pianist Bill Cunliffe, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, saxophonist Bruce Johnstone, saxophonist Michael Brecker, trumpeter Bobby Shew, guitarist Robben Ford, singer Lydia Pense, and singer Randy Crawford.

[2][3] The band's 20th anniversary tour starred trombonist Bill Reichenbach, trumpeter Gary Grant, singer David Clayton-Thomas (vocalist of Blood, Sweat and Tears) and local musician Midge Marsden.

The concert was called 'The Big Drum Off' and featured guest drummers Dennis Chambers, Gregg Bissonette and Peter Erskine.

In 2016 he toured his band with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in a programme called Swing into Spring conducted by Hamish McKeich with trumpet and flugelhorn player Allen Vituzzi as soloist.

[24] In the early 1980s Fox, saxophonist Colin Hemmingsen and percussionist Bud Jones established the first jazz courses at the Wellington Polytechnic (later Massey University).

The aim was to give students exposure to world-class educators and performers and a greater understanding of jazz artistry.

[34][35][36][37] Fox won the Aotearoa Music Award (Tui) for New Zealand jazz recording of the year on four occasions: in 1983, 2001, 2004 and 2012.