Bob Garcia died in his California home on April 26, 2020, one week shy of his 82nd birthday.

After graduating from IU, Garcia earned his master's degree in communications from Columbia University. He then enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Germany, the Philippines and Vietnam. After two and a half years of service, he moved to Los Angeles and began a career in the music industry. He was hired by A&M Records, where he worked in biography writing and artist relations until 1997.

Garcia then started his own music consultancy, Shedding Dog, where he worked with high-profile musicians including Lady Gaga, Neil Young, One Republic and Blake Shelton. He supported the Recording Academy throughout his career, and he served as a trustee for the Los Angeles chapter for two years.