Larry "Moon" Thompson

Inducted September 18, 2021

Larry “Moon” Thompson grew up on a family farm in Cheyenne County, Nebraska, whose hometown of Sidney featured one radio station and had a population of around 7,000 people. In 1974, he began a 45-year radio broadcasting career when he saw a note on the bulletin board of his high school advertising a part-time job at KSID. The owner liked the way he sounded even at his young age, and he started doing weekends and nights before being moved to afternoons and mornings.

In 1976, a bigger station, KMMJ in Grand Island, Nebraska, called him to do middays. He was also the music director and eventually the assistant program director. The next 18 months he had 3 jobs: KRGI FM Grand Island, KOGA Ogallala, and finally KQKQ/KLNG Omaha, Nebraska. At this station he was named Moondoggie after a character on the Gidget TV show. He finally got his big break when he was hired for nights on KRXY 108 in Denver, Colorado. He remained Moondoggie and was number one in his time slot for 8 years. After ABC sold the radio station, Moon landed a job at KQKS Denver doing mornings.

After two years he ended up at KZMQ Las Vegas. It was here where he and his partner took the show from 8th place to second place in adults and first in women in just under a year. Another company, Nationwide Broadcasting, wanted him to leave town and they hired him at KHMX in Houston, Texas. Moon became Mix 96.5’s longest running morning host. He and his partners took the ratings to the highest they had ever been in both adults and women. He began interviewing presidents, rock stars, and comedians, which became one of his favorite parts of his job.

In 2002, a new chapter began at KS95 Minneapolis/Saint Paul, run by Hubbard Broadcasting. Along with Staci Matthews, their show in afternoon Drive was number one in women for almost their entire 17-year run and number one in adults for more than a decade. He and Staci raised millions of dollars helping kids with disabilities and cancer for KS95 for kids, and they had the largest fundraising team for the Komen Foundation Race for the Cure. Moon and Staci were nominated for four Marconi awards for the National Association of Broadcasters and they won large Market personalities of the Year in 2012.

Moon’s battle with MS forced him into retirement in 2019, but his commitment to the industry puts him where he belongs: in the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame!

Larry “Moon” Thompson died on January 25, 2024.