Chester Smith

Chester Smith(March 29, 1930 – August 8, 2008) was an Americancountry-westernmusician and business entrepreneur.

Early life and radio career

Smith was born inDurant, Oklahoma,on March 29, 1930.He and his family relocated toTranquility, California,just outside ofFresnoin 1935 after escaping the dust bowl. He began singing onKMJ-AMRadio in Fresno withGene Autryat age 9. After moving to Modesto in 1942, he found his way into the radio broadcasting business with several stations in the central California valley starting withKTRB-AM at age 12 and remaining there for 16 years. He dropped out of high school and started his own program on January 3, 1947.His life was immortalized in song with the catchy tune "The Ballad of Chester Smith", which he wrote and performed.On October 17, 1963, his first owned radio stationKLOC-AM920 hit the air inCeres, California.

Television entrepreneurship

He started his television career atSacramentotelevision stationKOVR.He hosted a music variety show that aired for thirteen weeks and featured local artists, a gospel quartet and a relatively unknown singer by the name ofMerle Haggard.He also featured several celebrity guests before starting KLOC-AM. On August 26, 1966, Smith started his own television stationKLOC-TVin Modesto with his first wife Naomi.It was the first 5,000,000-watt television UHF station in California and originally operated as a full-service entertainment station, then simulcast the co-owned radio station with the same call letters for several years before affiliating with theSpanish International Networkin 1972 (SIN, now Univision, purchased the station from Smith in 1997). In 1981, he launched a second Spanish-language stationKCBA(now aFOXaffiliate) inSalinas, California.He also started the first Spanish-language television station in Sacramento,KCSO,which has been an affiliate ofTelemundosince it hit the air in 1999.

He is the founder of the broadcast companySainte Partners II, L.P.(also known as Sainte Television Group) and began the largest privately-owned broadcast company with stations spanning fromBakersfield, CaliforniatoMedford, Oregon.Sainte sold off all of its stations as of 2014, six years after his passing.

Music career

In 1953, Smith signed aCapitol Recordsrecording contract.

In 2002, Smith teamed up with legendary country starMerle Haggardto collaborate on a special CD project calledCalifornia Blend.The CD featured classic country, western and gospel tunes recorded by several artists. A music video of the song "Wreck on the Highway"filmed and produced inChico, California,by local stationKCVU,aFOXaffiliate and would air on a local TV program. The video portrays the aftermath of a drunk driving crash which injures a woman and kills her boyfriend. Merle enters the scene on his tour bus and Chester pulls up in his Rolls-Royce car. The video has since been seen on YouTube.

Three years later in 2005, Smith and his second wife Ann Lesley Smith, teamed up on a new CD project calledCaptured By Love.Just prior to the CD's release, the couple appeared on the locally-produced music program[Real]Musicto perform song from the upcoming release and be interviewed by program host Chadd Shotwell.

Personal life

Smith's first marriage of 42 years was to Naomi.

Smith's second marriage, aged 74, was to volunteer prison chaplain and dental hygienistAnn Lesley Smith., aged 47,The couple released theCaptured by Lovealbum in 2005.

Death

On August 8, 2008, Chester Smith died of heart failure after a routine trip toStanford University Medical CenterinPalo Alto, California.He is survived by his second wife of three years, Ann Lesley Smith, three daughters from his first marriage of 42 years to Naomi Smith: Laura, Lorna, and Roxanne, as well as 10 grandchildren.He was buried at Lakewood Memorial Park Cemetery inHughson, California.Several years after his death, Sainte Partners sold off all of their assets and shut down operations for good.

External links

• Chester Smith succumbs at 78,Modesto Radio Museum, August 8, 2008