For well over two decades Earl Root broadcasted the Root Of All Evil radio show on KFAI. His beginnings in local Metal can be traced back to the mid Eighties when he played guitar for the classic Thrash act Disturbed. Over the years he’s had plenty of other projects, including God Awful and the Symphonic Metal act Aesma Daeva. He was also the proprietor of Root Cellar Records on Snelling, pushing vinyl and loads of Metal on the locals eager to expand and diversify their tastes and even managed a record label on top of that. He traveled extensively, frequenting vinyl conventions and touring with Aesma Daeva. The man never stopped going, even after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma seven years ago.

Earlier this year, after Cancer had metastasized to his bladder he endured a rough bout with radiation treatments, then went on tour for a couple months, opening for Therion.

The Friday before Memorial Day we lost Earl. He left us peacefully, with Family and Friends at his side.

I first became aware of this amazing man around 1988 through The Root Of All Evil. In the early Nineties the band I fronted at the time contacted him to ask if we could get on the show to promote our latest demo. There was no hemming and hawing about it; his only response was, “How soon can you get here?” He interviewed us, played the entire demo and continued to work our music in over the following months. If we had a show coming up he would plug it. When we started DTC last year I called him up and told him that it wasn’t an exclusively Metal site but that I did Metal reviews and plugged Metal shows so I was interested in having him help me reach out to the Metal community. He didn’t wring his hands and relegate me to the wee hours after people had begun passing out. He told me to call in right at the top of the show and talk about the project.

Earl never had a bad thing to say about anyone. His laughter and buoyant spirit were infectious. His selfless determination to help out whenever and wherever he could was always an inspiration. He was ever approachable and even if he didn’t know you or couldn’t remember how he knew you he would still engage you in conversation and show interest. He never complained about his own life and the challenges that had beset him. He just kept going with a pleasant ferocity that won him a legion of admirers. That’s a big part of what makes it so difficult to accept he is gone.

When people talk about disease they tend to frame it within the context of battle. They’ll say, “He’s been fighting this for some time,” or “Yeah, he’s been battling Cancer for a number of years now.” Invariably what happens is that when the end comes people will say, “He put up a hard fight, but he lost his battle with the disease.” The semantics kind of bother me. Earl never lost anything. If you’re going to use that kind of terminology you should say something more along the lines of, “Earl triumphed in his life and won over many hearts.” In forty-six years Earl Root lived life harder and better than most will given twice that amount of time, never bothering to slow down even in the face of tremendous adversity. The grieving will ultimately subside, but the celebration of his rich legacy will continue on for years to come. There might never be another man quite like Earl Root, and that is to our detriment as a society.

It goes to show what one man with a lot of heart, passion and drive can accomplish for his community. If each of us put in just a fraction of the effort that this man devoted himself to we could create a rich and vibrant scene that is refreshingly diverse and generously inclusive. The funeral held in Earl’s memory was like nothing you’ve ever experienced. By the time I arrived the entire grounds of the Mortuary had filled up with people. It was a sea of black clothing and cigarette smoke. Inside, the urn containing Earl’s ashes sat on a table surrounded by a ton of flowers. People brought instruments to perform songs in tribute to a great man. One guy did an especially moving a capella rendition of Manowar’s “Master Of The Wind.” For the final hour people approached the microphone to share their fondest memories. There was little crying but loads of laughter. It wasn’t a dour scene of mourning so much as a celebration of an incredible man who touched a great many lives.

That is what is important. We can mourn his passing and continue to grieve for a time – these are perfectly healthy human reactions – but what’s most important is that we celebrate Earl’s life and further his legacy. It’s time for the rest of us to take hold of the sword and lead the Twin Towns Of Terror into a future enriched by his many contributions.

Thank you, Earl. For everything you have given to us, including your inspirational example, we are all eternally grateful.