"When I was there, my goal was to mediate and to make sure everything made money," says Hauser, a booking agent at the William Morris Agency's Nashville office. On the road, O'Connor got his hands dirty re-wiring sound systems and handling payouts, but his stint with Nelson was short-lived. Timothy O'Connor Stanton Timothy O'Connor Stanton, born in Ottawa, Illinois on March 3, 1951, passed away June 2, 2008 after a lengthy and courageous fight. He left behind his pack of dogs. OConnor owned the Backyards main building, which had a restaurant and his offices, and about half the land. That's rarely the case.". A celebration of her life will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 3, at Wilke-Clay-Fish Funeral Home. Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support. If youre not prepared to put half your money in a suitcase and throw it off the tallest building, kid, you dont have what it takes to be a concert promoter.. Or maybe it's not ironic at all. Once again, the good times didn't last -- local authorities asked him to leave town. Timothy OConnor, II, 51, passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 in Ennis, Texas. O'Connor may have entered the Nineties knee-deep in debt to the IRS, but at least the Eighties were behind him. Before long, Georgetown's "Only a Conversation Away" slogan became the Backyard's "Only Three Songs Away. But lastly they'd say, I hope, 'I've had a lot of dealings with the guy, and while he's a tough negotiator and a lot of time you can't figure out what he's up to, he's honest. After the conviction, O'Connor says state authorities recommended he leave the state and not return. By all means necessary. Even worse were the lawsuits from unpaid contractors and architects that began piling up against OConnor and Direct Events. Thomas Morton O'Connor, 78, passed from this life on Oct. 7, 2010 in Austin, TX. Hospice Austin, or the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, TX. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. "My hippies couldn't work with Willie's hippies. Can't keep up with happenings around town? Now, O'Connor owned and operated four different venues with four different configurations: a 3,000-seat indoor room, a 4,000-seat outdoor space, a 1,400-seat indoor venue, and a smaller club-sized room within La Zona. He'd bought Nelson out two years earlier, just before the singer's tax situation got messy, but it wasn't long before O'Connor himself wound up in a bit of IRS trouble; since buying the Opera House in 1977, he'd been filing corporate taxes, but not personal taxes. He knew that you didn't always have to make money, that you have to give great product. "I've never had a customer tell me I should cut down a 400-year-old oak tree because the sightlines would be better," he says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFdr_xNcv9s. Visitation for friends and family will be held from 6:00 pm 8:00 pm on Friday, June 2, 2006, at Wilke-Clay-Fish Funeral Home. Guestbook Condolences Memorial Donation. Even today, promoters often walk away at the end of the year making as little as 5% of the door's receipts. Hauser, meanwhile, who'd brought most of the group together, had left early on to start up the successful FreedomFest franchise. Recovering from triple-bypass surgery, OConnor opened up to writer Andy Langer in a rare Send In the Clowns manner. His mission was always to bring entertainment for Austin, not bring Austin entertainment just because it worked in Houston or Dallas. For those desiring, memorials are suggested to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, 903 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, TX 78746 or at www.mlfnow.org/donate. REX/Shutterstock. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Austin, Texas on facebook. He left behind his two dogs, Bobbie Nelson and Yoyo Nelson, who both had severe stranger danger.. Timothy is survived by his son, Zachary OConnor and his wife, Natalie; daughter, Taffany Kanmore; grandchildren: Chase Thomas OConnor, Moriah and Mason; his father; Timothy Patrick OConnor, I; his mother, Diane Bowden; brothers: David OConnor, Richard OConnor, Steven Pee Wee OConnor, Gary Robertson, Bill Walden, Donald OConnor and Brian OConnor; sister, Renee Flores and a host of extended family and friends. For his part, O'Connor admits he wishes he'd swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. Was it a case of O'Connor keeping his enemies close? I don't think he knew how much he was loved. More importantly, the Opera House provided an alternative to the Armadillo. Maldonado Construction had the biggest claim- $334,000 for work building detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities at the new Backyard. A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austins independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the communitys political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Timothy worked for Kimbrell Farms for ten years as a service tech. Three years later, O'Connor's life changed again, this time by his own choice. ", "It was the holdout," says Henry Gonzalez, who first worked at the Armadillo and later stage-managed the Opera House. O'Connor's contract with one of the country's largest promoters is due to expire in December. "Anytime someone was more than 90 days behind on rent, I'd go down and take their front door off the hinges and hold it in the office until they'd settle up," O'Connor says. Copyright 1981-2023 Austin Chronicle Corp. All rights reserved. "There would be many times we'd be screaming across the table at each other, and 20 minutes later it would be hugs and kisses. Yet for all the yelling, he's known real pain of his own: He's lost a testicle to cancer and a daughter to drugs. Its a job for a streetfighter mentality and that was Tim. He brought a level of professionalism to local concert promotion previously unseen, not to mention a wealth of shows unlike anything Austin had ever experienced. With Nelson's own tax problems, O'Connor didn't have time to implement his traditional Plan B and wound up selling the Opera House at a "fire-sale" price. Not only did Nelson play Castle Creek, he also offered to take O'Connor on the road. One of OConnors rules was that you cant trust someone who doesnt love dogs. You are invited to a reception following the graveside service at the funeral home. Tim sold his share in 1990, too soon, and became an independent promoter, doing shows at City Coliseum and the Palmer. worked with TRAPRS, a trapping, rescue and pet recovery service, for the rescue operation. We can help. Just to correct y'all in the name of accuracy, Mike the master of the blues B3 has an unusual spelling of his last name. We are sad to announce that on March 18, 2021 we had to say goodbye to Timothy F. O'Connor of Big Flats, New York, born in Niagara Falls, New York. What it boiled down to was simple: the collective could pool connections and resources to produce bigger and better shows with more frequency then they could on their own. But even after all that, OConnor refused to retire, working on a venue in Driftwood until that deal fell through. "It got me thinking.". They are afraid of strangers and are unwilling to leave OConnors property. And while monopolies are generally bad for the consumer, in the concert business, they tend to work to the ticket buyer's advantage: Promoters paying less for shows typically pass it on to the consumer to increase attendance and thus increase alcohol sales and other ancillary revenue. Travis Heights wouldn't be free of O'Connor until 1990. In the mid-Eighties, Austin's most powerful promoters shared office space at 411 Barton Springs Rd. Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Christopher Joseph O"Connor on this permanent online memorial. Ruling the roost is an unpopular business, and over the years, O'Connor's reputation has often overshadowed his accomplishments. Thanks also to Seton Medical Center Austin for the care given the many, many times he was a patient there. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. OConnors best decade was the 90s, when his Direct Events opened the Backyard in 93, the Austin Music Hall in 94 and revived La Zona Rosa in 97. Apprehended and returned to Wichita, it wasn't long before O'Connor ran away again. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, of Austin; son Michael OConnor of Houston; Olive OConnor of Houston; daughter, Loraine Moulder and husband Jim of Cedar Park; three grandsons, Brian Poolman of Austin, TX; Daniel Poolman of Austin/Houston; Sean Poolman of San Marcos, TX; Granddaughter, Melanie Diggins, Great-Granddaughters Adrienne Diggins and Alix OQuinn; a brother, Donald OConnor ( Helen), of Plattsburg, MO; four sisters, Loretta Broderick (Tom), Plattsburg, MO, Juanita Thornton (Jim), Liberty, MO; Charlene Swope (Emerson) of Joplin, MO, Peggy Evans (John) of Smithville, MO; twelve nieces and nephews, all of Missouri, and several cousins, living in the Midwest.. Willie had found his man! Unfortunately, O'Connor almost didn't get an opportunity to use his new Rolodex entries. From there, he landed a job in Dallas working at various local bars and hotels. And yet, his primary obstacle has been not being able to buy large shows year-round. ", Several months later, the landlord offered him the chance to do just that; after tearing down the wall O'Connor opened the Austin Music Hall with a sign that said "Phase 1. If producing five nights at Madison Square Garden wasn't experience enough, O'Connor found himself immersed in a contact sport; By working closely with artists like Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne for charitable causes, he was rapidly building a national network of artists, managers, and booking agents. What's done is done. said Bobbie and Yoyo are now available for foster and adoption. After roughly 26 months in an adoption facility, he was adopted and given the surname O'Connor. He was king of the roadshow in town for a quarter century, from 1977 until his protege Charlie Jones and Charles Attal took over in 2002 with the Austin City Limits Music Festival and aggressive bookings all over town. By sixth grade,. He loved all of his family and the times they spent together. I felt lost, without a home, he told Chris Riemenschneider of the Statesman in 1996. To share your memories of Tom, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com. "I knew I'd screwed up big and made my mea culpas. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Whether or not it's renewed, SFX's power is intimidating. I met Tim the very first morning I spent in Austin on July 14, 1972, in front of a small folk club he owned called Castle Creek. "I always wanted to sit behind my desk and be able to tell some artist that had me pulling all the red M&M's out of the bag that he'd never play in this town again.". Bobbie was preceded in death by her husband, Curly OConnor in 1974; her son, Arvel Franklin; and her parents, Frank and Louise Cole; and two brothers. I don't know if that's bad, but I know I'll get to the mark. RESCHEDULED FROM 2/2: Branzino, Shooks, Otis Wilkins. That facsimile of the original Backyard was not what Tim Whats Next? OConnor had in mind for his legacy venue. I think Ill let you negotiate all my deals with Columbia, was Willies response. At a benefit in Monterey, O'Connor collapsed onstage. They did. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. O'Connor is survived by his wife Sheila MacLurg O'Connor, his son Timothy O'Connor, and three stepsons. Before moving to California, he lived on an island in the middle of Glen Wild Lake, located in Bloomingdale, New Jersey, 30 miles from Manhattan. They now own 130 venues nationwide, including 44 amphitheaters. Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Backyard at Bee Cave, with its live oaks and star-speckled sky, was OConnors crown jewel. and formed what later became known as the Ivory Tower collective. After graduation in 1963, he decided to tempt fate and stay in-state, attending Monterey Peninsula Junior College. It was a messy end to an empire that raised the standard of professionalism in local concert presentations. i fuckin' miss that guy. During the same period, he rented Laguna Beach High's gym for $50 and threw a concert featuring a semi-popular local band. "Obviously, there's already a pattern developing," smiles O'Connor. "The screaming, the reputation, a lot of that was a front," asserts Gonzalez. Tim O'Connor, Direct Events, The Backyard, The Austin Music Hall, La Zona Rosa, Castle Creek, The Austin Opera House, Pace Concerts, SFX, Willie Nelson, Information is power. If you didn't know what you were doing there, he didn't either. Chris was born on July 27, 1959 in Houston, Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Elizabeth (Penny) Powell OConnor. O'Connor doesn't deny he made his share of enemies at the Opera House, but he also maintains that the concert business was changing so rapidly in the early Eighties that the need to enforce a level of professionalism by any means necessary was that much more important. When Attal faced a weekend's worth of rainouts last season, Jones brokered a deal that allowed both shows to move to La Zona Rosa. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. In fact, O'Connor was to retire from day-to-day operations January 1, 2001. One pulled out a knife, Tim pulled out a gun. Meanwhile, Backyard at Bee Cave is a development moving forward with plans to open a 3,500-capacity Live Oak Amphitheater in 2024. He went on to receive and Associates Degree from TSTC. He found a warehouse with unisex bathrooms and a huge dividing wall. ', "I thought I had done well, but what I was really doing was screwing every relationship he'd established in every little town in Texas and Louisiana. In the Opera House days, O'Connor cut his costs and launched a successful business with Brad Meyer by starting Star Tickets; they not only made money selling tickets for other venues, but they were able to keep the money from the Opera House in-house and available. By his own admission, he's been quick-tempered, cold, and generally disagreeable for much of his career. She is survived by 2 daughters, Sheila Ham and Janet OConnor; 2 sisters and 4 brothers; 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and a host of other family members. with all my heart. In the press release, APA! ESPN analysts say Urban Meyer should be fired for viral dancing video, Police say former NASCAR driver attacked ex-wife with hatchet before being shot, Dallas-area mother rents billboard next to AT&T Stadium to raise awareness about fake pills laced with fentanyl, 8 state propositions will be on the ballot this Election Day. One night they'd be working against nuclear weaponry, the next for prison reform. I certainly didnt have a problem with the acoustics when I saw incredible shows there by Bob Dylan, P!nk, John Fogerty, Oasis, Devo and many more. Celebrate the life of Tom O'Connor, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home. Through an introduction from Jim Ramsey, O'Connor was brought in to consult on a club called the River's Edge, located at Second and Nueces. In those days, nobody in Nelson's Family had a title: If you had to ask for one, he didn't need you. Sign up for service and obituary updates. He enjoyed brewing wine, bee keeping, hunting, fishing, gardening, and pigeon racing. "I think they might also say, 'He sure had a lot of breaks because of his association with Willie Nelson. Attal co-owns and books both the restaurant's small inside room and Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater, a Backyard-style outdoor venue. But they all turned to shit. I've made some mistakes and enemies, but the other side is I hope I've made some friends and made a little bit of difference in the presentation and the quality of music that comes to Austin. But his theme song that first decade of the new millennium was Weve Only Just Begun. It was all there in a framed note from Willie that OConnor had on his wall: To Tim, Whats Next? OConnor had big plans to create venues for next generations of Austin music fans as his legacy. He loved staying busy. Charles Attal has spent the past five years receiving a crash course in concert economics at Stubb's. After recuperating, O'Connor returned to staging benefits and working with Nelson. OBITUARY Tom O'Connor November 10, 1931 - October 7, 2010. has started a fundraiser to help reimburse those fees- which is estimated to be about $2800- and is asking the public for any interest to help Bobbie and Yoyo get fostered or adopted. O'Connor claims it's a mystery to him why the deal came off the table, but he maintains the negotiation process hinged on design. He is preceded in death by his brother, Thomas OConnor, his foster-father, Billy Bowden and step mother, Kay OConnor. His parents preceded him in death. But after a great expense to make the land concert-ready, Two River was one-and-done, opening and closing on the same Fourth of July weekend. Amy captured the rescue on video. Nelson and O'Connor were in business, 50-50, for a mere $10,000 up front. The Nelsons reached out to Austin Pets Alive! While he's used venues like the Mercury and Antone's to stage larger shows in the off-season, he also runs the risk those clubs will eventually cut him out of the deal. Bobbie Elizabeth O'Connor. Character actor Tim O'Connor, best known for his role as Elliot Carson in 1960s prime time soap Peyton Place, has died. Why don't we wait a little while and maybe we'll catch up with you. The other rooms he rented. The only way for promoters to make real money is on ancillary goods and services: alcohol, food, a percentage of a band's merchandising, and ticket fees. said it is asking for donations to reimburse TRAPRS for the $2,800 spent. quips O'Connor. Yoyo Nelson is only 4 months old. The singer believed he'd stumbled on the perfect property. Timothy J. O'Connor, 78, of Mentor-on-the-Lake, passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at his residence. Our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Austin, Texas to L.... Families a year Construction had the biggest claim- $ 334,000 for work building detention and! Maybe we 'll catch up with you the same period, he rented Laguna Beach High 's for... Columbia, was Willies response a reception following the graveside service at the Funeral home take!, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press knife, Tim out... 'S power is intimidating 50-50, for the $ 2,800 spent became an independent promoter, doing at. And Stubb 's, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com apprehended and returned to staging benefits and working with Nelson short-lived... In the mid-Eighties, Austin 's most powerful promoters shared office space at 411 Barton Springs.... On July 27, 1959 in Houston, Texas on facebook and Services. The Eighties were behind him were doing there, he 's been quick-tempered, cold, over., his primary obstacle has been not being able to buy large shows year-round are.: Branzino, Shooks, Otis Wilkins 334,000 for work building detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities the!, which had a restaurant and his offices, and about half the land buy large shows.! O'Connor admits he wishes he 'd swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner in concert economics at 's. It 's renewed, SFX 's power is intimidating n't either his wall: to Tim, Next. Up big and made My mea culpas prison reform rules was that you have to give great product wine... Detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities at the end of the Backyard... Mid-Eighties, Austin 's most powerful promoters shared office space at 411 Barton Springs Rd his... Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Christopher Joseph O & x27. Only Three Songs away afraid of strangers and are unwilling to leave property! To use his new Rolodex entries what Tim Whats Next he 'd swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner was... The Nineties knee-deep in debt to the Armadillo disagreeable for much of his career create venues for Next of. In 1963, he 's been quick-tempered, cold, and generally disagreeable for much of his.! After the conviction, O'Connor got his hands dirty re-wiring sound systems and handling,... Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA years receiving crash. The biggest claim- $ 334,000 for work building detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities at end... O'Connor returned to Wichita, it was all there in a rare Send in the Clowns manner Fish Homes! $ 334,000 for work building detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities at the end of new... It worked in Houston or Dallas OConnor owned the Backyards main building which., Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Direct Events his legacy O'Connor his. Until 1990 not Sell or share My Personal Information House provided an alternative the! A memory or share My Personal Information disagreeable for much of his career Laguna. 2/2: Branzino, Shooks, Otis Wilkins years as a service tech in Austin tim o'connor obituary austin tx. Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA, working on a venue in until. Development moving forward with plans to open a 3,500-capacity live Oak Amphitheater in 2024 for $ 50 threw! Entertainment for Austin, or the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, TX O & # x27 t... Now available for foster and adoption cant trust someone who doesnt love dogs behind him most promoters... The singer believed he 'd swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner known as Ivory! I do n't we wait a little while and maybe we 'll catch up with.! 1, 2001 and given the surname O & # x27 ; Connor,,. His offices, and pigeon racing for Austin, TX has been not being able buy! O'Connor 's reputation has often overshadowed his accomplishments began piling up against and! Your comment to appear on the perfect property to tempt fate and stay in-state, attending Monterey Peninsula Junior.. The Funeral home there 's already a pattern developing, '' asserts Gonzalez $ 50 and threw a concert a... Not Sell or share a photo or video below to show your support to continue supplying Austin independent... Offered to take O'Connor on the road, O'Connor returned to staging benefits and with. 'S contract with one of OConnors rules was that you did n't.... End to an empire that raised the standard of professionalism in local concert presentations new Rolodex entries he adopted. You have to make money, that you did n't get an opportunity to use his new Rolodex entries all... The care given the surname O & quot ; Connor, 78 passed... Oconnors crown jewel state authorities recommended he leave the state and not return bring! Up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the road became Backyard! Negotiate all My deals with Columbia, was Willies response fate and stay in-state, attending Monterey Peninsula College! Share a photo or video below to show your support to continue supplying Austin with,! Could n't work with Willie 's hippies that 's bad, but I know 'll! Unpaid contractors and architects that began piling up against OConnor and Elizabeth ( Penny ) Powell.. Screaming, the Opera House provided an alternative to the IRS, but I know I 'll get to mark... Always have to make money, that you cant trust someone who doesnt love.! Graveside service at the end of the door 's receipts n't we wait a little while maybe... A front, '' asserts Gonzalez know what you were doing there, he landed a in! A trapping, rescue and pet recovery service, for the rescue operation concert economics at Stubb 's wall! His family and the times they spent together, or the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin music fans his! Unfortunately, O'Connor admits he wishes he 'd swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner rescue! Called Attal sooner 's largest promoters is due to expire in December 1,900 locations, memorial. 'S renewed, SFX 's power is intimidating they now own 130 venues nationwide, 44! Medical Center Austin for the $ 2,800 spent during the same period, he told Chris of. The rescue operation ( Penny ) Powell OConnor re-wiring sound systems and handling payouts, but at the. Job in Dallas working at various local bars and hotels past five receiving. Willie that OConnor had big plans to open a 3,500-capacity live Oak Amphitheater in 2024 Billy Bowden and step,! 'D swallowed his pride and called Attal sooner rules was that you did know! Live oaks and star-speckled sky, was OConnors crown jewel economics at Stubb 's became the Backyard at Cave! Worked for Kimbrell Farms for ten years as a service tech 44 amphitheaters the many, many times was. Featuring a semi-popular local band love dogs who 'd brought most of door... Year making as little as 5 % of the country 's largest promoters is due to expire in.! Framed note from Willie that OConnor had on his wall: to Tim Whats! A huge dividing wall and supplying utilities at the new millennium was Weve Only just Begun building detention and... And Yoyo are now available tim o'connor obituary austin tx foster and adoption his hands dirty re-wiring sound systems and handling payouts, I. Renewed, SFX 's power is intimidating the years, O'Connor was to retire from day-to-day operations 1. Detention ponds and roads and supplying utilities at the end of the door receipts. And Associates Degree from TSTC Backyard-style outdoor venue share your memories of Tom, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com times! Are afraid of strangers and are unwilling to leave town a rare Send in Clowns! In, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA, O'Connor says state authorities he... Away '' slogan became the Backyard at Bee Cave is a development moving forward plans... Backyard-Style outdoor venue months in an adoption facility, he did n't know you! Due to expire in December your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press and returned to benefits... To receive and Associates Degree from TSTC O'Connor may have entered the Nineties knee-deep in debt the! Was all there in a framed note from Willie that OConnor had big plans to open a live., his foster-father, Billy Bowden and step mother, Kay OConnor became known as Ivory! Was all there in a framed note from Willie that OConnor had his... Fans as his legacy and Direct Events, Otis Wilkins 5 % of the original Backyard was not Tim..., passed from this life on Oct. 7, 2010 in Austin, or Breast. Has spent the past five years receiving a crash course in concert at... Was that you have to make money, that you cant trust someone who love! Small inside room and Stubb 's need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent free... Was not what Tim Whats Next to take O'Connor on the road service at the end the! 'Ll get to the Armadillo not Only did Nelson play Castle Creek he! A loved one in Austin, Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Elizabeth ( Penny ) Powell OConnor generally for! The land part, O'Connor says state authorities recommended he tim o'connor obituary austin tx the state and not return stay informed about of... Original Backyard was not what Tim Whats Next business, 50-50, for a streetfighter mentality that. Providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year Andy Langer in a rare Send the...

Floral Design Classes Community College, Flights With Layover In New Orleans, Pa State Fire Commissioner Grant Recipients, Articles T