Published: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 12:09 PM CDT
Each year, thousands of people visit the Lake for a colorful palette of beautiful landscape, entertaining activities and interesting characters.
Just as the Ozark landscape boasts layer upon layer of stunning hues and textures, when we pull back the layers of a person's life, we find a montage of attributes and accomplishments revealing a depth of character that may have previously gone unnoticed. One local entertainer, best known for his wide-ranging music career and on-stage antics, has a breadth of life experience some would never imagine.
With a decade of performing as the house band for the Horny Toad, Donny Larsen has become a favorite to Lake Area audiences. But his music career spans more than 40 years and includes numerous chart-topping hits and performances alongside industry icons such Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson and Glenn Frye.
Larsen has opened for close to 50 national music acts including Starship, Head East and Brett Michaels. As current entertainment director at the Horny Toad, Larsen takes responsibility for choosing and scheduling the dozens of bands that take the stage at Toad Cove each season.
“One of the reasons I do have a great following is because the Horny Toad is such a great venue,” Larsen stressed. “Merlyn told me I'm like family, and he has backed it up by treating me like family.”
Still, Larsen's favorite task is interacting with and performing for the dedicated fans who become part of his show every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the Toad.
“Merlyn has allowed me to be myself and to keep my individuality,” Larsen said. “That wouldn't happen anywhere else, especially on that grand a scale.”
Larsen's road to the Lake began when he first encountered his one true love while touring the Caribbean with his band. That is when he met a reluctant Lisa Costello and began a single-minded campaign to convince her to take a chance on a first date.
The final push came when Lisa got word Larsen had written a song for her and performed it in concert. At the urging of her friends, she finally caved.
“I chased her all over St. Croix,” Larsen lovingly recalled. “Every week, I would send flowers asking her out. It took nine months, but she finally gave in.”
A San Francisco native, Larsen followed his passion for his future wife to the Lake in 1998; the couple was married on Jan. 24 of that year.
The lifetime entertainer soon found a home among the local music scene.
“I arrived three days before the fall harbor hop and was asked to play a gig at Bayou Bill's,” Larsen said. “From the moment I got here, musicians like Dale Blue and Don and Susie Akers embraced me and supported my efforts as an entertainer.”
Thus began Larsen's career as a Lake Area crowd pleaser. But a hobby he had enjoyed since his youth lay simmering beneath the surface and a recent job change for his wife placed the focus on another side of his artistic talent.
(Read the full version at: http://thelaketoday.com/articles/2009/09/16/profile/106profile01ravereviews09.txt)
