'Heavy Metal Father' Remembered; EARL ROOT Dies At 46

May 27, 2008

Ross Raihala of the Pioneer Press reports: Local heavy metal musician, DJ, radio host, label head and record store owner Earl J. Root died Friday of complications from non-Hodgkin's regenerative lymphoma. He was 46.

"He was like our heavy metal father," said Tim Honebrink, a longtime friend of Root's. "He balanced so many things at any one time his radio show, his personal life, his friends, his store, his bands. He was almost supersonic."

Generally considered the most important force in Twin Cities heavy metal music, the St. Louis Park native performed in AESMA DAEVA and several other bands, owned the late Root Cellar Records store on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul, ran the Root of All Evil record label and hosted a four-hour late-night KFAI-FM radio show called "The Root of All Evil" for 22 years.

"Earl was committed to everything he was passionate about," said Dan Richmond, KFAI's program director. "He loved being on the air in the middle of the night on a Sunday morning, connecting with listeners and hanging out with friends. That's why so many people were such big fans of Earl."

Root is survived by his wife, Nancy, and son, Aaron. A funeral service will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Henry W. Anderson Mortuary, 3640 23rd Ave. S., Minneapolis.

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