Larry Brown had a silly radio name, no surprise, Jim Nelly, the owner of KUJ in Walla Walla, liked giving his air staff silly radio names. Larry worked what would be known commonly as afternoon drive using the name "Mason Dixon". While Walla Walla doesn't really have commute time, it was the time when students, who listened to top 40 on their radios, would get out of school. They could turn KUJ on their stereos and car radios. Mason Dixon probably was working with the largest audience. He was good.
Mason Dixon was program director at KJUN in Puyallup. After I left KYYX, I met with him with a tape to interview for a job. He also worked at KOTY in the Tri-Cities with two former Walla Walla radio people, Geoff Harvey and Dancin' Dan Murphy.
Today, I read the sad news that Mason Dixon had passed away early last month. He was 65. Thank you to the Puget Sound Media blog. You can read more here.
I worked with Larry in the early 70s at 1560 KDFL Sumner, WA. and in the 80s at KJUN 1450 Puyallup. Larry had a great on-air persona. He was popular on and off the air. The ladies loved him. Larry had a yellow Corvette. Larry partied occasionally. One day, Larry's Corvette ended up in a ditch, a combination of speed and distractions. Larry and his female passenger survived without a scratch. But the girl had apparently tumbled out of her clothing at some point before emerging from the vehicle. This was long before cell phones, so we know they weren't doing something silly before the accident happened, like taking selfies. The cause remains a mystery.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sad to hear that Larry (Mace), has passed away..Larry was a truely good, kind & extremely witty human being..Very professional jock too. He loved that blue Corvette..Besides KUJ, I worked with him at Andy Harle's station KTIX in Pendleton..actually lived with him a few months there. My heart & condolences go out to his younger brother Dan, who I used to ride moto-x with in Tacoma. Larry was "true Blue".
ReplyDeleteLarry (or Mason) and I first met when I was working morning shift at KJUN in Puyallup. Coincidentally, I also worked at KUJ shortly after Larry had moved on to another opportunity. Great radio guy and easy going person. Sorry to hear this news.
ReplyDelete