Dallas longtime DJ Russ Martin was found dead at his home in Frisco on Feb. 27; he was 60 years old.
According to a police report, Frisco police responded to a call at Martin’s residence on block 6300 of Douglas Avenue in Frisco, after a friend found him unanswered. Martin was pronounced dead at the scene; the cause of death has not yet been determined, but there was no suspicion of foul play.
Martin, who was born Russell Dale Martin on October 4, 1960 and grew up in Pleasant Grove, was a Dallas radio character for over 30 years. He gained fame in the 1980s after joining the KEGL 97.1 rock station “The Eagle”, where he did the morning slot after The Howard Stern Show left the station in 1997.
He later hosted The Russ Martin Show on KLLI Live 105.3 in Dallas until 2008, when KLLI moved into the sport, and then returned to Eagle in 2010 to do the weekend show on The Eagle.
Martin also worked for the satellite music network and worked part-time for Z-Rock.
Jeff Skin Wade, half of the Ben & Skin Show program that airs on weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m., shared a thoughtful memorial that said:
“We are saddened by the passing of radio legend Russ Martin. Russ was a fun, beloved and greatest life radio conversationalist at DFW for many years. When he didn’t make us all laugh, he showed a huge working heart. to our community for supporting first aid and their families when they needed it most.We were fortunate to work alongside one of the most influential radio hosts in DFW history.Our deepest condolences to his family and friends, as well as his comrades — hosts and thousands of fiercely loyal RMS listeners ”.
Martin was a controversial figure, called a “shock jock,” who advocated for animals and contributed to charitable causes, especially for first aid, including a foundation that raised money for fallen police officers and firefighters. He was also arrested for assaulting a girlfriend in 2008 and was the victim of an armed robbery in 2015.
A big fan of the car, he had a collection of legendary cars that included the Gran Torino Starsky & Hutch, General Lee of Dukes of Hazzard, and a Batmobile.
The Eagle asked fans to share their memories on Twitter.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passage of 97.1 The Eagle’s Russ Martin,” the radio station he tweeted. “You will miss him very much and we send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. We would love to hear your favorite memory of Russ Martin below.”
“I used to listen to his show on the way home, and when Russ came out with a tear it made me laugh so hard I was afraid to deviate from the road.” dit a fan.
Another dit“He was the comedic and talented part of Dallas Radio. He did a lot for the community with his work with animals and Police & Fire.”
“I was tuned in every day for five years when I got home from work.” dit a. “I was very excited to get my first car when I was 18 and I only heard jokes about things. It definitely made my travel time much more bearable. Rest in peace, Russ.”