Renowned worship leader Yancy Wideman Richmond is mourning the loss of her former manager.
On Monday she announced that Mike Smith died over the weekend.
"Yesterday, my former manager went to Heaven," said Yancy in a post on Instagram. "I’m grateful he is healed and whole."
When Yancy was considering hiring him, she called Darren Tyler, lead pastor of Conduit Chruch in Franklin, Tennessee for his opinion. He said "Mike is good at weird things. It would make a lot of sense."
"When you looked at Mike’s roster it was full of the not normal artists," said Yancy. "Comedians, Latin bands, kids artists and more. The people who were squares trying to fit in a circle someone else had made. Mike believed in us. He believed in our value."
Yancy says she is most grateful for the compliments that Mike was quick to offer up.
"Oh, the compliments he would offer up to a third party in a meeting. Of course, I knew he was buttering us up but at the core of his words, he believed in us.
The faith that he put into his artists was something that Yancy says she will keep close to her heart for years to come.
"He believed in me. That is a gift. I am a better artist because of his belief, creativity and push," said Yancy. "Thank you, Mike, for believing in this girl and helping me make Jesus loud."