Writing this book has been a long and sometimes difficult journey. Fortunately, I didn’t have to make it alone. My wife Anja was beside me every step of the way. Her love and support were unwavering, and I doubt I could have covered the full distance without her.
The story told here started out as a feature article for Ugly Things magazine, which appeared in Issue #36 in 2013. Response from readers was so overwhelming that I decided to expand it into a book. In digging deeper I uncovered many more crucial details about Craig Smith’s life that did not appear in the magazine article and the story took on a much broader scope.
Many people were invaluable at various stages of piecing it all together. My sincere thanks to Richard Dueul for his tenacious research assistance, particularly in exhuming deeply buried details about Craig’s family background; Jim Roup, who gave me many insights along the way, especially regarding Craig’s years on the streets; Richie Unterberger, who provided solid advice and crucial contacts; Mike Medina, a reliable sounding board who fed me some important leads; Gary Strobl for providing exclusive images from the Henry Diltz Archives; Steve Hill at UCLA Film & Television Archives for helping me get access to Herb Brodkin’s 35mm print of The Happeners; Bruce Barbour, a constant source of encouragement; Dan Epstein, who provided expert editorial advice; and Chip Douglas for writing the foreword. My gratitude also goes to Adam Parfrey at Feral House/Process Media for taking on this project and Jacob Covey for his inspired work with the cover design and layout.
Aside from his music and his enigmatic album cover notes, Craig Smith was never able to tell his own story to the world so I relied on the recollections of those who crossed paths with him at different stages of his life—friends, lovers, colleagues, musical collaborators, and some who only had incidental contact but nonetheless helped fill in missing pieces of the puzzle. Many of them were subjected to multiple interviews over the years spent researching this book, and several of them became good friends. The following people were especially generous with their time and resources, and I can’t thank them enough: Bruce Barbour, Patsy Clinger, Chris Ducey, Don Glut, Mary Hurly, David Jackson, Sidonie Jordan, Jason Laskay, Heather MacRae, Cheryl Starsong, and Michael and Sally Storm. Also interviewed were: Davie Allan, Peter Altman, Suzanne Belcher, Robert ‘Buzz’ Berger, Dave Berkus, Doug Brookins, Eric Caiden, Owen ‘Boomer’ Castleman, Debra Clinger, Melody Clinger, Asher Dann, Ann Dignan, Henry Diltz, Bobby Donaho, Chip Douglas, Sally Drake, Mary Epworth, Rafael Espericuata, Bob Flesher, Ruthann Friedman, Judy Frisk, Susan Hannon, Rich Haupt, Bobby Jameson, Gerard Kenny, Brian Lally, Mort Marker, Lee Montgomery, Ken Morgan, Ann Moses, Michael Nesmith, Sterling E. Norris, David Price, Dyane Quinn, Jim Roup, Addison Sorenson, and Lisa Udwin.
Other individuals and organizations I’d like to thank include: Isis Aquarian, John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Erik Bluhm, Peter Buesnel, Stephen Carpenito, Alex Carretero, Brian Chidester, Alan Clayson, Rick Cunha, Francesca DeAngelis at the Glen Campbell Music Group, Micky Dolenz, Nancy Ducey, Freddy Fortune, Joe Foster, Martin Gostanian at the Paley Center for Media, Ted Gostin, Gordon Grayson and Kenwood Anderson at the American Federation of Musicians Archives, Doug Hanners, Gene Ingram, Bob Irwin and Tim Livingston at Sundazed Music, Daniel Kallen, David Keeler, Officer Michael Lewis, Miriam Linna, Patrick Lundborg, Paul Major, Chris Marsteller, Ric Menck, Nemo at Time-Lag, Christian Nesmith, Alec Palao, Greg Prevost, Domenic Priore, Andrew Sandoval, Steve Stanley, Rena Wheeler at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Gail Zappa, and Dr. Jan-Christopher Horak, Dan Einstein and Danielle Faye at UCLA Film & Television Archives. Also the Los Angeles Superior Court Archives, California State Archives, Peggy Lee Associates, UCLA Library Special Collections, the archives of the Los Angeles Times, the Van Nuys News, the Salt Lake Telegram and the Salt Lake Tribune, the Library of Congress, the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, and the Los Angeles County Crematory. My apologies to anyone I’ve forgotten.
The following people either declined or ignored requests for interviews: Maggie Askew, Pocha Cárdenas, Mike Love, John Lyon, Holly McCracken, Brian Wilson, and Craig’s siblings, Chuck, Gary and Deborah Smith. The door is always open if any of you changes your mind. I realize there are missing pieces only you can provide.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge Craig Smith for his “Music Thru a Dream” without which none of this would have happened. I know he wanted his story to be told and his music not forgotten.