Stites, Fred

Passed away December 18, 2020.

Fred grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan with his parents, Fred and Margaret, and his siblings Girvanni, Carolyn, and John. He attended Western Michigan University, followed by North Texas State, where he was a member of the One O’Clock Band and also held a full time faculty position while completing his undergraduate degree. He completed his Master’s degree in Music at Manhattan School of Music. 

Fred changed careers every 19 years whether he had to or not. His first 19 years were spent as a percussionist playing with Doc Severinsen, Johnny Mathis, Shirley Bassey, Henry Mancini and over fifty musicals including national touring companies of West Side Story, Man of La Mancha and I Do, I Do. Also, for symphony orchestras, ballet and opera companies in New York, Dallas, Fort Worth, Lansing and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

While playing percussion with Doc Severinsen, Fred began mixing monitors and went on to his second career as an audio engineer and formed his company, Concertech, which supplied sound systems worldwide with offices in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Manila. 

As an audio engineer, Fred started touring and went on to his third career as a company manager with CAMI. Fred toured with numerous artists including Mel Torme, George Shearing, Joe Williams, Joe Pass, Sid Caesar, Debbie Reynolds, Maureen McGovern, Leslie Uggams, Peter Nero, Ben Vereen, Nancy Wilson, Carol Channing, Rita Moreno, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Souls-Stirs, Dr. John, Keb' Mo, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Charlie Musselwhite, The Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars and The House of Blues Presents.

Fred closed out his career as the production manager at Grand Performances in Downtown Los Angeles. Fred had a deep passion for Grand Performances, one of Southern California’s largest presenters of free performing arts programs. 

Fred retired from Grand Performances as the Production Manager Emeritus, and through it all, he never lost his Yamaha jacket. 

Fred is preceded in death by his wife of 28 years, Kathy Stites. Fred is survived by his children, Christopher Stites and Alanna Quan, his three grandchildren, Jett, Kathryn, and Astrid, and his amazing network of friends who he loved deeply. Through all of his accomplishments, Fred’s greatest passion was to know people. This was the driving force behind his life.