The publication is reproduced in full below:
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MR. RUSS THYRET
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HON. TED LIEU
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, February 26, 2021
Mr. LIEU. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Mr. Russ Thyret, who passed away at the age of 76 on February 12, 2021 at his home in Valley Village, California. Over the course of thirty years, Russ rose through the ranks at Warner Bros. Records culminating in his serving as the Burbank-based label's Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 2001. His wife, Rebecca, said that Russ' message for his Warner family and for all who he had known over the years, ``he wants us all to be happy and to be good to each other.''
Mr. Thyret, the son of a Glendale, California policeman, began his career in the music industry managing an independent retail store on the Sunset Strip. He joined Warner Bros. Records shortly thereafter, working at the company's Burbank home office in a national sales role during the time Warner/Elektra/Atlantic (WEA) Corporation opened branch operations throughout the country. In the mid-70s, Russ was selected to serve as Vice President and Director of National Promotion during the time Warner Bros. dominated the charts and became the dominant record company on the West Coast.
Russ was named Board Chairman at Warner Bros. after a period of uncertainty after the departure of several senior executives. He sought to strengthen the record label with his unique business strategy and his undying passion for music. During his years heading the company's promotion department, Russ led a small army of promotional personnel who worked to ensure records were played on the air on local, national, and international airwaves. Mr. Thyret and his staff delivered countless hits by legendary artists such as: Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, Randy Newman, James Taylor, Alice Cooper, Chaka Khan, R.E.M., ZZ Top, Depeche Mode, k.d. lang, John Fogerty, Madonna, and Prince.
``Thyret was a man of great instinct and heart,'' as stated by Jackie Sallow with Warner Records. Russ will always be remembered for his personable spirit, tenacious mindset, and kind heart. In 2001, Mr. Thyret ended his tenure after the completion of the AOL Time Warner merger. He summed up his time with the company stating, ``My strongest ambition has always been to serve the artists well, and I leave Warner Bros. hoping I have accomplished that. I was in awe of Warner Bros. Records the first day I walked in the door, and in so many ways, I leave even more in awe. It will forever be a magical memory.''
Mr. Russ Thyret will also be remembered for his love of his family, horses, fishing, and his great Labrador Retriever. He is survived by his wife Rebecca Alvarez and his son Russ Thyre, Jr.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 37
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