Variety Attractions Founder George Moffett Passes

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George Moffett

Variety Attractions Founder and veteran industry talent buyer, George Moffett, passed away on May 14 in Zanesville, Ohio.

Moffett made his first foray into booking while in college. Playing trumpet with a dance band in school, he started to book local bands on the side at fraternity parties and social clubs. Following graduation and realizing the need for a booking agency, he founded Variety Attractions in 1961.

At Variety Moffett booked Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Alabama, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney and more at the beginning of their careers and throughout. To date, Variety Attractions has booked over $1.2 billion in contracts since its inception and now operates in 24 states.

As the company grew, Moffett received the Country Music Association’s SRO Promoter/Talent Buyer of the Year award four times. He was also the Academy of Country Music’s Talent Buyer of the Year three times, and received honors from many state fair associations, including being inducted into the Ohio Fair Managers Hall of Fame. He served three terms on the CMA Board of Directors, and visited the White House under President Jimmy Carter.

Moffett was also one of the founding members of the International Country Music Buyers Association in Nashville, along with his colleagues Don Romeo and Hap Peebles. Today the organization is known as the International Entertainment Buyers Association and is recognized as the premier organization for talent buyers of all genres. He served on the IEBA Board of Directors for 30 years, received the Founders Award in 2010 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2018.

Moffett is survived is his wife Shirley (Williams) Moffett; daughter Amy (Rob) Gray; and granddaughters Megan (Gray) Van-Dyke and Elaine Gray.

Visitation is set for Friday, May 19 from 5-8 p.m. at the Snouffer Funeral Home (1150 West Military Road,  Zanesville, Ohio 43701). The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 20 in the Snouffer Chapel, with burial to follow in Zanesville Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the George Moffett Scholarship Fund, which is endowed at Belmont University in Nashville and awarded annually to a deserving student majoring in an accredited music business class. Donations can be made here or by contacting Pam Matthews at 615-679-9601.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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