Link to Memorial Service

- In Lieu of flowers or gifts please make donations to -

Locally – FresnoAirSquadron.org -
Gary's father Earl flew with the Fresno Sheriff's Air Squadron, who performs search and rescue operations.

Nationally – JustaBunchofRoadies.org -
Gary's son Spencer continues to work in the entertainment industry and this organization respond to natural disasters worldwide.

- Gary Dean Smith -

Gary Dean Smith was born to Earl Clyde and Bonnie Jean Scott Smith on October 27, 1946 in Lindsay, Tulare County, California. He passed away on January 20, 2024 in the home that he loved and modified himself for more than 30 years. His brother, David Wynn Smith, born November 01, 1952 has preceded him in passing this past year on April 29, 2023. He is survived by his former spouse Eileen Lynette Anderson Smith and two sons James Dean Earl and Spencer Aaron Scott Smith.

He attended school in Fresno, and graduated from McLane High School in the class of 1964. He attended Fresno State University (at what is now the Fresno City College campus), while pursuing a degree in Communications while also enjoying playing Baseball and Basketball for the Fresno State Bulldogs, until a tragic automobile accident put his plans for playing sports and a career in the military on hold and changed the trajectory of his life.

Gary became a father in 1989 with the birth of his first son James Dean Earl Smith, named after himself and after his father. Followed in 1994 by Spencer Aaron Scott Smith, named after the Biblical Aaron and after Gary's mother. He loved both of his children very much, and always strove to prepare them for the realities and difficulties of the world.

He started his career in the music business working with Papa Productions based out of Fresno, California, where among other bands Gary worked with the Guess Who, and eventually the Average White Band otherwise known as AWB. During his time working there Gary Smith was introduced to Gary Bongiovanni and they stayed in contact for many years until Gary S. and Gary B. both moved back to Fresno, and they began work on Promoters On Line Listings which would become Pollstar. After 2 years of planning and preparation the first issue was printed in 1982 and has been in print both in magazine form and online now for 42 years.

Co-founding Pollstar with Gary B. and eventually expanding the business to the UK and Nashville, TN, gave him plenty of excuses to jet set around the globe, mostly for business, but with plenty of time to enjoy sharing trips that he brought his family along with.

In February of 1997, Gary had a once in a life time opportunity to fly with the Blue Angels of the U.S. Navy in an F/A-18 Hornet as a VIP Guest, he excitedly trained physically and mentally for what would be an amazing thrill ride.

Gary retired from Pollstar in 2019 at 72 years of age and began enjoying his long awaited and much deserved retirement, while of course at the same time always floating the idea of what his next business venture would be as someone who put his entire life and his whole heart into his work, and his favorite hobbies chiefly being flying and gardening.

Gary will be dearly missed by those who loved him most, and he leaves an incredible legacy.

- James Dean Earl Smith -

My father lived in a place when he was in his 20's, called Nicasio, in Marin County, California, with soft rolling green hills and naturally wooded forests, that reminded him very much of the Shire, from the book The Hobbit. He read it, and escaped into that fantasy world for a time by simply walking out of his back door to enjoy nature, and when I was old enough to understand it, he shared that wonder with me by reading it to me as a children's book. When I was older still, I read and re-read it of my own volition, and eventually took his battered and tape repaired copy printed in 1965 with me to Texas where it was well loved and read until it was lost in a fire in 2016. Our things, objects we pass down and share like that don't last forever, and I don't really think they're supposed to, they're supposed to be loved, and used, and consumed to become a part of who we are. My father's loves and passions that he shared with me, of Business and Socializing with good friends, of Science Fiction and Fantasy books and films, of Flying and Driving, of Woodworking, Photography, Architecture and most importantly to who I am, Art, are the reason I am who I am today, right this moment, and I wouldn't want to be anyone else.

"As all things come to an end, even this story, a day came at last when they were in sight of the country where Bilbo had been born and bred, where the shapes of the land and of the trees were as well known to him as his hands and toes. Coming to a rise he could see his own Hill in the distance…

… and though few believed any of his tales, he remained very happy to the end of his days, and those were extraordinarily long." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

- Spencer Aaron Scott Smith -

Thank you to all the family and friends that have sent condolences and well wishes upon receiving the unfortunate news that my father Gary Smith has passed away.

I am so grateful to have had such an amazing upbringing with him. His guidance for me in fostering my own career within the music industry has been invaluable. I am personally a bit in shock at the suddenness of his passing, and I know I am not alone in this sentiment.

His health, his company, his friends, and his family were the most important things in his life. He instilled in us a love of sports and exercise. He gave us shrewd business advice. He encouraged us musically, but never forced us to follow in his footsteps. He took great pride in the fact that I went into the music industry of my own volition, and he always encouraged my brother and I both to follow our passions and never discouraged us from being exactly who we wanted to be.

He had friends and colleagues all over the world who knew and loved him well. To all those who had the opportunity to get to know my father, we are blessed to have had you. For now, it's not goodbye, but rather, break a leg on the next great gig in the sky.

He will be dearly missed.

- Eileen Lynette Anderson Smith -

My sincere condolences to all our friends and family and everyone who's life Gary Dean Smith has touched.

When Gary and I met, he was 34 and I was 23. We were married by the judge in San Luis Obispo, and we honey mooned at the famous Madonna Inn. It was eight years before our first son James was born, at the time Gary was 42, and I was 31. Four and a half years later we had our second son Spencer. Our marriage lasted for 23 years. In the first days he was a car sales man for Conte Classic Auto. He was a car buff and even restored his own Jaguar. He had been on the road as tour manager before with the Average White Band. The fellas were all of great humor and fun to hang out with and he remained friends with them to this day. We lived in the Tower District at the Vincent home, 921 San Pablo a 100 year old Victorian on the historical register.

We had friends in the local bands and hung out at the Wild Blue and the Daily Planet. My Shop "A Salon" was in the tower as well. Our second home was a log cabin built in the 1940's, it is rustic and hand hewn. Gary loved Architecture and he was a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright. He had furniture, stain glass, art, books and films of his works, and he also had the chance to visit several sites of his hero, such as Taliesen West, the Robie House and Falling Water. Gary's homestead was his respite where he loved to garden and grow roses. Gary had a taste for the "high life", he loved gourmet food, fine wine, and all things the world could offer. His friends called him "Lear Jet Gary" or Gazzer or Smitty.

He traveled all over the world with his different careers. Together we went to Hawaii, Mexico, London, Paris, Australia, and Russia right after the Iron curtain fell, that was an eye-opening experience.

Before we were married my roommate Kathleen "Kass" Hansen who worked with Gary Bongiovanni introduced the two Gary's and the rest is history. They took a newsletter and turned it into a legacy. We were together as a family at many of the conventions hosted in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, and San Francisco. The people we met were exemplary!! The awards show for the industry was created and the wonderful loyal staff deserve much credit for all the success. Even if our lives didn't come with a backstage pass and VIP status, we wouldn't have given up the bond of our history together. We have produced two fine young men. Our sons James Dean Earl Smith. Named after his father Gary Dean and grandfather Earl. James 34 has received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration from Fresno State, his dad's Alma Mater. He is a freelance illustrator, and he currently hails from Grand Prairie, Texas, "Howdy". Spencer Aaron Scott Smith who will be 30 on April fool's day of this year, is named after the grandmother Bonnie's side of the Scott family. Spencer attended Ex'Pression school a private college specifically for the entertainment industry. His degree is a Bachelors of Applied Science in Interactive Audio and Video. He also has toured the world, keeping the inherited rock star status going. He currently works as a video engineer for Inspire. He is residing in Denver, Colorado with his beautiful bride of two years, Jessica Campbell Smith.

Gary was a son, a brother, a cousin, an uncle, a husband, a father, and maybe someday a grandfather. He was also an Icon in the music industry and in life, with too many friends to mention. He will be sorely missed.

In closing I want to pray that the peace of the holy spirit be upon all of us. Even though our vows are "until death do we part" I know we will meet again someday in heaven. Amen.