Fred Imus dead at 69 Fred Imus Dies at Age 69
August 10, 2011 09:50 AM EDT
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The lesser known brother of Don Imus, Fred, passed away in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday. He was found in his trailer after he didn't report to work, and apparently died peacefully in his sleep. It's a sad day in the radio world, and especially for Imus fans.
Fred Imus was a frequent call-in guest on Don's popular radio show, delivering dry, matter-of-fact humor, and gaining his own following. He was a co-host for his own satellite radio show, "Fred's Trailer Park Bash" and spent time writing country songs.
Fred was the impetus behind his brother's success, convincing Imus, who had just been "thrown out of radio school", to bring an audition tape in to a station. Don was hired immediately, and the rest is history.
The appeal Fred Imus had was mostly from his uncanny talent of putting a down-to-earth spin on any topic of discussion. He came across as droll, gruff, uncomfortably honest, and completely unaffected by his brother's fame, or his own, for that matter.
Who hasn't sprayed coffee over themselves while listening to the dead-pan humor of Fred Imus? The banter between the brothers will be sorely missed, and to be sure, the loss cuts deep for the I-Man himself.
Fred Imus never seemed to fit into the world of celebrity, preferring to ride the range and "work on Chevys," reports the nydailynews.com. He did fit in with his brother, though, and the two not only held a mutual respect for each other, but a deep emotional connection that was reflected at the end of each call. "I love you," they said.