On the road, O'Connor got his hands dirty re-wiring sound systems and handling payouts, but his stint with Nelson was short-lived. It just so happened it was my stray bullet.". "He was apt to go off, which was a sign of the times, but we were always a little more laid back.". Two dogs, Bobbie and Yoyo, remain. Travis Heights wouldn't be free of O'Connor until 1990. Charles Attal has spent the past five years receiving a crash course in concert economics at Stubb's. Was it a case of O'Connor keeping his enemies close? No services are scheduled at this time. "When Willie and I needed to deal with banks, we'd be sure to pull up in front with the bus," explains O'Connor. More to the point, it's been decades since Tim O'Connor carried anybody's guitar and worried about being cold, wet, or hungry. This is the first real obit Ive read. He left behind his pack of dogs. The promoter shouldve retired in 2001, a move he contemplated in an Austin Chronicle cover story that year. . AUSTIN, Texas Tim O'Connor, owner of The Backyard, Austin Music Hall and other live music venues in Austin, died on July 30 from Hodgkin's lymphoma. A year earlier, in Nov. 2007, a rebuilt, 4,400-capacity Austin Music Hall debuted to bad reviews over the sound, which was always the bitch about 208 Nueces. In the offices of Direct Events, the production company that runs his venues, associates call him "Crazy Ivan," a reference to the brash and unpredictable submarine captain in Hunt For Red October. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In any scenario, Jones and Attal say it would only take a drive to their office to unload the lease to the Austin Music Hall. I believe it's given me an edge as a competitor and given us a distinct advantage as a company.". He left behind his pack of dogs. "I've probably given plenty of people cause not to like me," admits O'Connor. Timothy worked for Kimbrell Farms for ten years as a service tech. During the same period, he rented Laguna Beach High's gym for $50 and threw a concert featuring a semi-popular local band. That's rarely the case.". Let others know about your loved one's death. He left behind his two dogs,. They were blessed with two children, Thomas Michael and Anita Loraine. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. "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. Besides being Willie Nelsons promoter and business partner since the second Fourth of July Picnic in 74, OConnor ran the Austin Opera House for 13 years, then founded Direct Events in the 90s, owning and operating such successful venues as the Backyard, Austin Music Hall and La Zona Rosa. 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. Skeptics, on the other hand, said concertgoers wouldn't drive that far for a show, particularly from North Austin. 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. Chef Jeff Blank found it and originally partnered with OConnor, but it turned out to be a much better venue for 3,500-capacity outdoor concerts than fine dining inside, so Blank refocused on Hudsons-on-the-Bend (and the chicken cone that would redefine festival eating.). Separated from his wife, the couple later returned to Kansas to try and make the marriage work. 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 cleared a few hundred bucks easy," O'Connor says. Aesthetically, [the Opera House] and Liberty Lunch were the only ones to carry over the Seventies vibe into the Eighties decline.". Receive a notification when services are updated. Tim O'Connor believes his funeral will be like many other events he's staged: well-attended. Chris is survived by his widow, Sandra OConnor, mother Elizabeth (Penny) OConnor, 2 brothers, Tim OConnor, Argyle, Texas and Kevin OConnor and wife Laura, New Mexico, three nephews, Ryan, Matt and Jeffrey OConnor. Ann Richards in shorts, reading the. He does it because he loves music and loves the game.". ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. *Please note that the service will not be at a Keever facility, so please have flowers sent directly to the Hilco Event Center in Itasca.*. Recovering from triple-bypass surgery, OConnor opened up to writer Andy Langer in a rare Send In the Clowns manner. "He called me into his office and said, 'Tim, I just want to let you know I think you did a great job, but I think you're maybe just a little ahead of us. "There was an incident in front of the Alliance Wagon Yard," states O'Connor. Chris was born on July 27, 1959 in Houston, Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Elizabeth (Penny) Powell OConnor. Soon married with a baby, he returned to California, where he eventually wound up laying drainage pipe in the Mojave Desert. Age 81. Chris OConnor passed away at his home on Thursday, January 28, 2016. He went on to receive and Associates Degree from TSTC. (The plan had been to throw it in the high school swimming pool.) Please, Like Lance Armstrong, OConnor just couldnt walk away from the action, and suffered the consequences. By then it was just a live music club with a dogleg, and a 1,500 capacity that gave Direct Events more flexibility for acts not ready for AMH or the Backyard, both at twice the capacity. "My hippies couldn't work with Willie's hippies. You? "But to get a major company to sit down and have the same general plan -- a plan that doesn't compete with the city or the design of the developments around the facility -- is very challenging. "I was screaming at him," recalls O'Connor, nearly 25 years later. cover story that year. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. And honestly, for me, it wasn't about money in the end. I remember certain nights with Steve Goodman or John Prine where I physically threw people out for talking. 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. O'Connor is survived by his wife Sheila MacLurg O'Connor, his son Timothy O'Connor, and three stepsons. Winding up just outside Southern California's Laguna Beach, O'Connor approached a house for sale and asked the family moving out if they'd pay him to help. Or, he hints, he could wind up settling for less money to merely close the venue and sell the property outright if he can't find the right buyers. Who Receive obituaries Sandra Lucille Hidrogo February 20, 2023 (81 years old) Download it here. Search Austin obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Maureen Margaret O'Connor Obituary. 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. View The Obituary For Christopher Joseph O"Connor. Can't keep up with happenings around town? Support the Chronicle, O'Connor (l) with Willie Nelson and Darrell Royal backstage at the Austin Opera House, 1979, O'Connor (l) with Willie Nelson at the opening of the Backyard, April 15, 1993, O'Connor with MiddleMan Music's Charlie Jones (l) and Stubb's' Charles Attal, Antones, 1979: Hurricane Margaret blows in, Everything back then felt like us versus them and she was one of us, One click gets you all the newsletters listed below, Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events. Nearly a million dollars of roof-raising renovations later, the Music Hall's Phase 2 was completed in time for South by Southwest '95. Program Support Representative in Kansas City and San Jose, then worked in Software Test and Development at Santa Teresa Lab in San Jose. Recovering from triple-bypass surgery, OConnor opened up to writer Andy Langer in a rare Send In the Clowns manner. 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. Somewhere along the way, O'Connor started a band in Laguna. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. He didnt have to say no anymore, just Why dont you run it by Tim?, Read more about Castle Creek, Spellmans, Alamo Lounge, emmajoes. Copyright 2003 - 23 J.E. What do you want me to be?". Tim passed away this summer leaving behind his beloved dogs Bobbie & Yoyo. "Mark my words, if you think it's difficult now, give it 24 months. Although it's been mostly by his own design, the great irony of Tim O'Connor's career is that it took 30 years for his story to reach his customers -- the people of the city he loves catering to. "I could either walk down to the bar and start drinking again, or be honest and do what I said I'd do -- to produce these shows in a professional manner.". O'Connor recalls that only one friend, Texicalli Grille's Danny Young, believed it would work. Thanks. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Character actor Tim O'Connor, best known for his role as Elliot Carson in 1960s prime time soap Peyton Place, has died. Their profiles are up on APA! Guestbook Condolences Memorial Donation. Additionally, they can flex the muscle of 1,170 radio stations. It doesn't take much asking around for folks to recall the first time he screamed at them, or the first time they witnessed him either stand on his desk to make a point, or clear it with the sweep of an arm. "I met Willie in San Antonio to apologize to him," recalls the promoter of his last move before leaving Austin. On Oct. 1, 1957, he proudly became an employee of IBM and enjoyed a career of 30 years - with 22 of them in Kansas City, MO, and 8 in San Jose, CA before retiring in Austin, TX. What started as benefit concerts for local Native Americans grew into something far bigger: star-studded concerts pairing artists with causes. exceeds goal to save at-risk pups. Example video title will go here for this video, AUSTIN, Texas Tim OConnor, owner of The Backyard, Austin Music Hall and other live music venues in Austin, died on July 30 from Hodgkin's lymphoma. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Employees fear him and competitors loathe him. "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. He saw the acts being booked at the Creek- John Prine, Guy Clark, Steve Goodman, Steve Fromholz, Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, etc.- and knew his songs were right for the room. "Something clicked," says the 56-year-old promoter today. By all means necessary. Whether you know it or not, if you've seen live music in Austin over the past 20 to 25 years, you've likely given money to Tim O'Connor. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Timothy leaves. Now, as his relationship with SFX, the country's largest concert promoter, nears contractual completion, the impact of O'Connor's retirement on the local promotions pool is unknown. I'd made concessions to the tune of some serious dollars.". Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Defense from what? I felt lost, without a home, he told Chris Riemenschneider of the Statesman in 1996. He saw the acts being booked at the Creek- John Prine, Guy Clark, Steve Goodman, Steve Fromholz, Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, etc.- and knew his songs were right for the room. He was born October 20, 1941 in Clarksville, Texas. With the $60,000 those lots sold for, the Austin Opera House was up and running. 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. 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. Berating the singer for letting his encore be overrun, O'Connor began yelling. RESCHEDULED FROM 2/2: Branzino, Shooks, Otis Wilkins. What O'Connor didn't advance very well was peace between concert promoters and neighborhood groups. Not only did Nelson play Castle Creek, he also offered to take O'Connor on the road. AUSTIN, Texas An integral part of Texas history, Tim O'Connor, the creator of Austin Music Hall, Austin Opry House and more, passed away this summer of Hodgkin's lymphoma. The arrangement lasted less than two years, with Ramsey bailing first, followed shortly after by Smith. So, Willie Nelsons family stepped in to help. While most people don't care who owns the venues they visit, it could be argued that the one non-performer's name every Austin music fan should know is Tim O'Connor. I don't think he knew how much he was loved. On my own, I'm doing one date, while they're buying 40. Forecast: Severe storms possible Thursday, KVUE remembers the 2018 Austin bombings, 5 years later, Timeline: Severe storms possible on Thursday, Austin Pets Alive! Tim O'Connor, who died in July, had two dogs, Bobbie Nelson and Yoyo Nelson. When a mutual friend invited him to Austin for what amounted to a consulting gig for the venue, O'Connor signed on as a partner and re-christened the club Castle Creek. More importantly, the Opera House provided an alternative to the Armadillo. "I may not know him as well as Charlie [Jones], but I'm certain it's not the money that drives him anymore. That arrest led the state of California to declare him an emancipated juvenile; he could now be tried for adult crimes. In fact, O'Connor was to retire from day-to-day operations January 1, 2001. Grabbing Nelson's beloved guitar Trigger, pushing the country music icon into a waiting car, and beating a hasty retreat, O'Connor had no idea that the cowboys rushing the stage were merely fans who loved Willie and wanted to show their appreciation. He was born on May 19, 1954 to the late Ernest Joseph and Rose Mary (Smith) O'Connor. When OConnor returned in 77, he started the Southern Commotion partnership with Willie to run the Austin Opry House as a classier Armadillo. "I made it through," nods O'Connor, "but I came out weak.". Along with Wilson's Armadillo, and the One Night, Soap Creek, Split Rail, and Broken Spoke, there was the Checkered Flag, a fledgling beer joint on Lavaca owned by future Kerrville overseer Rod Kennedy and his partner Allen Damron. Owning the Backyard and Music Hall gave O'Connor an opportunity to formalize their dealings; in 1995, the two companies signed a contract that allowed Pace to co-promote shows in O'Connor's venues. Omni also repo-ed the original Backyard building. He loved staying busy. "That's where I learned to present the best show -- show by show. APA! Willie is the Muhammad Ali of white people, yet running in tandem with his crowd is a something a lot of people can't do.". "Obviously, there's already a pattern developing," smiles O'Connor. On the day Tim died and they took him away, Bruiser chased the car for miles. Ruling the roost is an unpopular business, and over the years, O'Connor's reputation has often overshadowed his accomplishments. Who's gonna do it? Copyright 1981-2023 Austin Chronicle Corp. All rights reserved. "I didn't have much fear and figured I didn't need to take much guidance from anyone else.". When OConnor bought the building at 208 Nueces in Sept. 1994, the Austin Music Hall was its fourth venue that year. In the mid-Eighties, Austin's most powerful promoters shared office space at 411 Barton Springs Rd. Three years later, O'Connor's life changed again, this time by his own choice. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. 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. Watching football and repairing anything that needed it were among his favorite things to do, as well as playing cards with many of their friends. Hospice Austin, or the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, TX. One time I played steel with Milton Carrol in Albuquerque we opened the show for Willie,Tim O'Connor promised me a ride home to Austinwe got a couple of miles outside of Lubbock in Tim's bigass Lincoln when we ran out of gas.Tim gets on the Cb and finds a woman at a base station who gets in touch with her brother in law who happens to own a gas station"this was at 5:00a.m.,A guy shows up with a gas can starts the Lincoln we follow him to his gas station"did I mention its a blizzard outThe guy opens the gas station we fill up,Tim pays him and then tried to give him a fifty dollar tip,The guy said no way be safe.One time Maria Mauldaur played at the Armadillo world Mike Finnegan was on Hammond Organ a d was sporting a black eye,Tim told me that He was in the golden gloves with Finnegan when they were kids and it must've been a bad dude who gave Mike the shiner,Turned out it was Maria's gal background singer who hauled off and hit Finnegan,They yucked it up.Godspeed Tim O'Conner. 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