Larry 'The Mad-Dog' Russ dies this past weekend

[GodleyWorks]

Just want to pass along that Larry Russ A.K.A. 'The Mad Dog' passed away this past weekend in his sleep in Alexandria. As far as I know he wasn't doing radio there.

He had quite a bit of on air personality and a lust for life. :'(

 

[JeffJasper]

In 1977, Larry Rust helped turn KNOE's FM102 from a sedate oldies station into The Rock. Not sure if calling himself "The Mad Dog" was his idea, PD Russ Mitchell's, or GM Hal Calisch's, but it worked. And it was an appropriate moniker on so many levels. Larry was indeed a Wild And Crazy Guy. Not to mention a huge fan of The Greaseman, whose high-energy style Larry emulated much to the success of KNOE-FM. I'd be willing to bet no one had better nighttime ratings at any Monroe station, ever.

I suspect "The Mad Dog" sprang from the imagination of Russ Mitchell. We had a small problem with name overlap on FM102. When I got there in 1975, there was already the great Jeffrey Hunter (now KNOE-TV CE Jerry Harkins), so I was asked to call myself J. Alan Jasper. Then, when KMLB's Jeffrey Kingston came on board as PD, he reverted to his real name, Russ Mitchell. Shortly after his arrival, Russ brought in Larry Rhymes from KMLB. So when Rust came aboard from KNOE-AM, he needed to be called something other than Larry. The Mad Dog was born. Monroe radio would never be the same.

Lawrence Henry Rust will not be forgotten by anyone who's ever met him. Quite a guy. We'll miss ya, Mad Dog.

JJ

 

[buttonpuncher]

I found out while driving down near Alexandria Tue when I heard a girl on KZMZ 96.9 saying "MadDog" had passed and asked people who knew him to call in and request songs he liked or appropriate tunes (apparently this is a regular noontime request pgm). She played some good tunes but never said another word or repeated the phone number the whole half hour I listened. Jim Steele also was to do a tribute on LA105 later that afternoon but I missed it :-( Jim said he talked to Larry a couple of weeks ago and he sounded well. I guess he was up through number 9 in his lives, he sure flew through 1-8.

Found the obit at the funeral home in Bastrop's website: http://www.goldenfh.com

Lawrence Henry "Larry" Rust died while sleeping Sunday, January 4, 2009. He was 58 years of age. He grew up while living in Bastrop and for many years was a radio personality on stations including KVOB and KNOE. At the time of his sudden death he was living in Alexandria, LA.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 8, 2009 at the chapel of Golden Funeral Home with Rev. Bill McCullin officiating. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Larry is survived by his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Ray P. Rust of Garland, TX; a sister, Mrs. John H. (Jory) Watson of Richardson, TX; two daughters, Savannah Cantu and Brianna Rust of Alexandria, LA; and grandson, Blaise Cantu of Alexandria, LA.

The family will recieve friends at Golden Funeral Home on Wednesday evening from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

 

[kevinkelly]

Was he still at FM 102 in 1980? That's when I started listening and his name sounds familiar. The only DJ I can remember for sure listening to on FM 102 was Mean Green ...

 

[lafayetteindependentradio]

I was a PTAT at KZMZ and KICR in Alexandria and was fortunate to work with "The Maddawg". Though at KICR, they had him use the airname "Levi Kooley".

At KZMZ to kick off his night shift(he later did mornings with Uncle Larry), he would play "Mad Dog" from John Entwistle's Ox to lead things off.

At his best, his energy on air was untouchable. He was at his best doing AOR or country.

He had a run at K104 in Monroe(sometime in the mid-90s) where he had a pretty strong book.


R.I.P.