Despite the success of "Wait a Little Longer," Smith's recording career sputtered. In 1958, he signed to Decca to release the rockabilly effort "You Gotta Move," followed a year later by the Poppy label single "Tennessee Saturday Night." Both records faltered, but he remained a top draw on radio, exiting KTRB in 1963 after earning a license to build his own country radio station in the Ceres area. KLOC went live on air on October 17, and in the years to follow Smith regularly cited early inspiration Autry as the model behind his transformation from entertainer to entrepreneur -- he promoted the fledgling station by hosting his own live music show on television's KOVR, and on August 26, 1966 KLOC launched its own television operations as well. Most significantly, Smith was the first broadcaster to actively cater to the programming demands of California's fast-growing Mexican population, partnering with the Spanish International Network to introduce northern California's first Spanish-language programming. While rival broadcasters roundly mocked the concept of a UHF channel catering to migrant laborers, KLOC-TV quickly became one of the most influential channels in California, over time increasing its power to 5 million watts and introducing a full-color programming lineup -- even as the Spanish International Network expanded across the state and into northern Nevada, KLOC remained its flagship station. In 1981, Smith sold KLOC radio, channeling the revenues into a second TV station, Salinas-Monterey channel KCBA; 15 years later, he sold KLOC TV to SIN for $40 million cash and another $45 in stock. Upon completing the deal, SIN changed its brand to Univision, which continues as the premier Spanish-language media conglomerate in the U.S. market.

Smith did not exit the broadcasting business entirely, however -- he remained at the helm of Modesto-based Sainte Partners II, which under the Eureka Television group banner owned and operated 13 stations spanning from Oregon to Bakersfield, all of them under his personal supervision. While visiting the firm's station in Redding, Smith went for lunch with longtime friend Merle Haggard, a resident of the area -- together they hatched plans to collaborate on a recording session, with Haggard offering up his home studio and production expertise. More than four decades after his last official release, the 72-year-old Smith issued his comeback LP California Blend in 2002 -- the collection of traditional country-gospel favorites featured Haggard's harmonies on a number of tracks, most notably a haunting rendition of Roy Acuff's "Wreck on the Highway." Later that same year, Smith was honored with the Modesto Area Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award -- other honors include the Christian Country Music Association's Pioneer Award. In 2005 he and his wife, singer/songwriter Ann Lesley Smith, collaborated on the full-length Captured by Love -- from the grounds of their 156-acre estate, the couple also harvested olives and grapes, and produced and marketed their own brand of olive oil under the Olivewood Estate brand name. Smith died of heart failure in Palo Alto, CA on August 8, 2008. He was 78.