George Larry Moffett

George Larry Moffett, 86, passed away Sunday, May 14, 2023, at Genesis Hospital He was born December 9, 1936 in Zanesville to the late Leighton and Florence Heinle Moffett.

George was a fan of entertainment, and his life story is a testament to that.

George attended The Ohio State University his freshman year, majoring in business. While there he played trumpet with a dance band and also got the idea to secure dates for the other dance bands. Then his sophomore year he transferred to Muskingum College and started booking local bands on the side at local fraternity parties and social clubs. 

When he graduated, he realized the need for a booking agency, which led to the founding of Variety Attractions in 1961.

Little did he know at the time that Variety Attractions would eventually become a brand that is one of the most respected, trusted, and honored companies in the entertainment world. Booking artist like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Alabama, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins and more from the beginning of their careers and throughout them.

To date Variety Attractions has booked over $1.2 Billion in contracts since its inception and now operates in 24 states.

Not only a fan of music, but George also had a love for the circus world. The animals, the high wire performers, the daredevils, and the excitement the circuses brought to small towns. He recognized this and started booking the animal acts, the high wire acts at local and county fairs across the country. 

Over the years as Variety Attractions grew, George was honored on numerous occasions from the Country Music Association naming him the SRO promoter/talent buyer of the year four times. He was the Academy of Country Music Awards Talent Buyer of the year three times as well as receiving honors from many state fair associations, including being inducted into the Ohio Fair Managers Hall of Fame. He served three terms as a director on the Country Music Association Board of Directors. George was 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 board of directors for 30 years received the Founders Award in 2010 and inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2018.  

George was a man who found his passion and lived it daily as he dedicated his entire life to the entertainment business. He had a natural sense of caring for his clients and colleagues. Those who knew him can attest to that.

His legacy will live forever with the George Moffett Scholarship that is endowed at Belmont University in Nashville and awarded annually to a deserving student majoring in an accredited music business class.

Surviving is his wife Shirley Williams Moffett; a daughter Amy (Rob) Gray; two granddaughters: Megan Gray-Van Dyke and Elaine Gray; two sisters in law; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the George Moffett Scholarship Fund by going to https://www.ieba.org/educational-outreach  or contacting Pam Matthews at 615-670-9601. 

Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 PM Friday, May 19, at THE SNOUFFER FUNERAL HOME, 1150 WEST MILITARY ROAD, ZANESVILLE. The funeral will begin at 11 AM Saturday, May 20, in the Snouffer Chapel with Pastor Jeff Belt officiating. Burial will follow in Zanesville Memorial Park.

To send a note of Condolence to the family visit www.snoufferfuneralhome.com, find us on facebook, or call our caring staff at 740-450-8000.

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