Support Garry Shrum's Family in Their Time of Loss

Hello,

Thank you for all your kind thoughts, prayers, and wishes. It has meant a great deal to us. Garry’s passing has been a profound shock to the family. My dad asked me for just one thing, and that was to take care of Mom, the love of his life. I NEED HELP!

They would be celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary on July 18th. For those of you who knew Garry, he was full of life and love, and the last thing he was thinking of was leaving this rock and roll world. Therefore, there was no planning or preparation for this shattering event.

The only life insurance policy my dad had was provided through his work as part of the employee benefits program. With paperwork issues on his short-term disability, no funds are coming in. I had to go bargain shopping to find someone to take care of my dad at the end (20 miles outside of Dallas). Between my mom, sister, and me, we were able to get the absolute minimum. The urn is handsome, but not a representation of my dad's life and spirit.

Now I have to sell the mini Blue Meannie that he had in the house, sell the house, and move my mom to Louisiana to be close to me and my fiancé. Somehow, I need to get this done as soon as possible. My parents are two months behind on their mortgage due to paperwork issues with the insurance company. She cannot lose the house; there is equity in the home, and it will be enough for a down payment or an add-on space to our home, but that will be it. This is why I'm asking for help. Please continue reading and give what you can, or if you would like to get your piece of Blue Meannie, click this LINK, and it will take you to the Blue Meannie eBay store.

There has been an outpouring of grief and disbelief. A friend wrote the following, and I added some images and a few edits. I will be updating this page with new photos and stories. Please check back in!

From the early days in 1970s California, Garry was already a force. With a passion so pure and a heart so generous, he helped spark something truly special when he brought people together for the love of vinyl. That humble gathering in the Capitol Records parking lot grew and grew—because that’s what Garry did. He built things. He built a community. He built a connection. He built a legacy.

In 1976, Garry opened Blue Meanie Records, his first record store—a name as colorful and quirky as the man himself. 1984 CBS CH 8 Link To walk into that store was to walk into a living museum curated by someone whose knowledge of vinyl, concert posters, and Beatles memorabilia was practically encyclopedic. But it wasn’t just the knowledge that made

There were other locations called Another Blue Meannie located in Los Angeles, then he sold Blue Meannie Records and opened Blue Meannie Music in Batesville, Arkansas.

The Arkansas location was more than just an amazing place to get your tunes. It was a refuge for those of us who don't fit the cookie-cutter social mold. At night, you find people just hanging out listening to music or soaking up Garry's stories and even playing hack-sack down the album aisle.

Garry was also able to check off a bucket list item when he got a radio show on The Max 93.1 (I'm contacting the station to see about getting the recordings or links for everyone to hear the love he had for music.)

For those of you who got to shop at one of Garry's stores, you were immersed into the land of music. We took our displays seriously!

Garry was remarkable; it wasn't just the stories. It was the way he told them. He was able to bring you on his journeys and stories of a time when music changed the world. Stories of friendships forged in record grooves and dusty posters. Only the stories that Garry could tell with that special glimmer in his eye and a grin that made you feel like you were stepping into history.

I was lucky—so lucky—not only to know Garry but to support and work alongside him during our time at Heritage Auctions. Garry was a light there. One of the very few people who made the hard days softer, the stress a little lighter, and the long hours worth it. He was more than a coworker. He was a friend, a mentor, a brother in spirit.

I loved sitting in his office and listening to his tales from the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll—tales you couldn’t Google or find in any book. Tales you had to feel to understand truly. And Garry made you feel them. He made you want to know more, to listen closer, to dig deeper into the music and the meaning behind it all.

He was, without a doubt, one of a kind. A true hippie in the purest, most beautiful sense—a soul deeply connected to the rhythm of the universe. And while he may no longer be with us in body, I have no doubt Garry is somewhere now where the music never stops. Maybe he’s swapping stories with Lennon, nodding along to Hendrix, or digging through crates of records with Janis and Jerry.

Garry, your absence is already deeply felt. But your impact, your joy, your soul—that will live on in every vinyl groove, every poster corner, every Beatles lyric.

May peace be with you, our dear friend. You deserve nothing less than eternal backstage passes to the greatest concert in the cosmos.

Rock on, Garry. We love you!!

If you would like to own a piece of the Blue Meannie, please check out the Blue Meannie eBay store.

Garry’s electric charisma tended to attract knowledgeable, passionate music lovers and inquisitive. If you are wondering, how did we get here? Please check back, a link will be provided shortly.