Dan Spellens, 1950-2018

– Melanie and Dan Spellens
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Dan Spellens, an industry veteran and fundraising powerhouse in research efforts to find a cure for Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, died from that illness Jan. 29. 

Pollstar received confirmation of Spellens’ death through his wife Melanie, who led the Melanie & Dan Spellens ALS Research Fund at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Spellens was the manager of Long Beach Arena and Theatre for more than a decade. He also worked for SMG and as an agent for the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Journey, B.B. King and Jackson Browne. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2012.

He told Pollstar in 2012 that he and his wife’s foundation had raised more than $175,000 for ALS research that would likely not affect his condition but would hopefully help future generations treat and prevent the disease.

His memorial service will be held Feb. 8 at Temple Israel in Long Beach, Calif.