Three words that changed O'Connor's life. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. TIMOTHY O'CONNOR OBITUARY. 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. The promoter shouldve retired in 2001, a move he contemplated in an Austin Chronicle cover story that year. We were going to see what we could work out together, as opposed to being at each other's throats.". 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. Overestimating access and parking capabilities also marred the second Backyard in Bee Cave, about a mile west of the original. and TRAPRS joined hands for this rescue operation, which was filmed by Amy and sharedonline. Timothy was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Receive a notification when services are updated. By sixth grade, he was sent to a boy's school in Arkansas for three years. After Travis Heights homeowners blamed him for cigarette butts left nearby, O'Connor found a commercially zoned lot that bordered the neighborhood and briefly put in a petting zoo. After the conviction, O'Connor says state authorities recommended he leave the state and not return. And if you're always looking out for your town and its fans, look what happens. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "I really cut my teeth in neighborhood negotiations back there -- in all the wrong ways.". When my lawyer got done kicking me in the leg, that's when things really went downhill," recalls O'Connor. Let others know about your loved one's death. Individuals can donate to APA! Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Like Willie Nelson, Tim O'Connor is a huge part of Austin music history. on its website. Unfortunately, Ramsey says, there were often too many cooks in the kitchen without a head chef. Learn More. Ruling the roost is an unpopular business, and over the years, O'Connor's reputation has often overshadowed his accomplishments. ", "It was the holdout," says Henry Gonzalez, who first worked at the Armadillo and later stage-managed the Opera House. Yoyo Nelson is only 4 months old. "I may not know him as well as Charlie [Jones], but I'm certain it's not the money that drives him anymore. In the Seventies, he reigned over Castle Creek. We were always running around trying to book as many shows as possible and were most conscious of how much money we could make. "Why I am I here? Although the Backyard wound up proving Austinites would indeed go out of their way for atmosphere and talent, O'Connor's next move brought him downtown. "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.". Then again, once a drifter, always a drifter; this time, O'Connor settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and hooked up with a friend from his Colorado days, songwriter Tom Campbell. Willie had found his man! While this cost Direct Events some independence, the contract reserved O'Connor's right to promote 140 acts on his own that he had longstanding relationships with (artists such as Willie Nelson or Little Feat.) On deadline. i fuckin' miss that guy. "It took until I lived there to understand how unique the city is. Along with working in Nelson's front office and running Castle Creek, O'Connor also found time to open a non-music club, the Squeeze Inn, a bar on 19th Street where the pool tables, jukebox, and beer were all a quarter. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands. With income he'll only say was "not legal," O'Connor took ownership of 13 bungalows and a bar he named the Lift. to the Family. Although O'Connor admits there's still "conversations at different levels" about how the deal might be salvaged, he says a group of well-financed smaller promoters could perhaps team up to purchase the Backyard. What's done is done. I know what I'm going to pay and that's it. It was a messy end to an empire that raised the standard of professionalism in local concert presentations. Tim was an aircraft mechanic and was employed by UPS for over 35 years. But it's time to clear the air and say the driving force I have at this point is merely wanting to grow old gracefully. "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. Tim sold his share in 1990, too soon, and became an independent promoter, doing shows at City Coliseum and the Palmer. Chris was born on July 27, 1959 in Houston, Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Elizabeth (Penny) Powell OConnor. When OConnor returned in 77, he started the Southern Commotion partnership with Willie to run, as a classier Armadillo. By the time the problem got to him, his job was to play the heavy.". It just so happened it was my stray bullet.". "I thought that was the way it was done, but Ms. Martinez at the IRS totally disagreed with my position," says O'Connor of the six-figure penalties he accrued. Bobbie "Cole" O Connor, age 73, of Austin, lost her courageous battle with cancer and left the struggles of this life on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 Bobbie was born March 9, 1933 in Manor, Texas. 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. 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. His closest friends tell the story of a private man who's embraced the "Crazy Ivan" image as a front for less sinister passions: music itself and the belief that few vehicles serve and strengthen a community as well as a properly promoted concert. "I think Tim always had the best understanding of what the consumer wanted and how to deliver it. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Timothy OConnor, II, 51, passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 in Ennis, Texas. He found a warehouse with unisex bathrooms and a huge dividing wall. Employees fear him and competitors loathe him. "I was screaming at him," recalls O'Connor, nearly 25 years later. Then came the mall that swallowed our idyllic music setting. When Willies Picnic traffic backed up 11 miles after the parking lot was full, there were a lot of pissed-off Deadheads. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. He loved all of his family and the times they spent together. He was born on May 19, 1954 to the late Ernest Joseph and Rose Mary (Smith) O'Connor. So much so, in fact, that Attal has pried a sizable amount of shows away from Direct Events. 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. Timothy "Tim" O'Connor, 55, of Yulee passed away Sunday evening, July 12, 2020 at Baptist Medical Center in Fernandina Beach. 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. The last act to play La Zona Rosa under OConnors ownership was Prince at SXSW 2013. "For the first time in my life I knew I had to put my faith somewhere. That was unique, and I think a lot of that came from working with Willie. Timothy Joseph (Tim) O'Connor, 53, of Toms River, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on December 26, 2022, after bravely battling cancer. "I think he likes the game too much to really be trying to get out," maintains Attal. I remember certain nights with Steve Goodman or John Prine where I physically threw people out for talking. "Do I want to try and change my image? On those nights it was a listening room. The Nelsons reached out to Austin Pets Alive! OConnor owned the Backyards main building, which had a restaurant and his offices, and about half the land. When OConnor returned in 77, he started the Southern Commotion partnership with Willie to run the Austin Opry House as a classier Armadillo. Of course, I didn't really go anywhere. 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. I dont think he knew how much he was loved. Private Messages 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. At the time, musicians such as Jimmie Vaughan and Rusty Wier began stopping at the restaurant on their way to Winter Park. cover story that year. 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. Even worse were the lawsuits from unpaid contractors and architects that began piling up against OConnor and Direct Events. Midway through producing the second Farm Aid, at Manor Downs in 1985, O'Connor got the news his daughter had passed away. Young told him it was a bird nest on the ground -- he'd only need to pick up the eggs. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. What do you want me to be?". Indeed, says Steve Hauser, if you're looking for O'Connor's legacy, look toward his lack of patience for part-timers and carpetbaggers. O'Connor was left holding the market share of shows in Austin. and formed what later became known as the Ivory Tower collective. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. What a mistake it was to tear down the Music Hall to build a new one that was worse than the old one. His warning shot ended up going through a mobile recording trailer on the street and hitting the leg of a Columbia Records executive inside. I may have given up a certain amount of information here or there, but my past is that nobody really knows what I'm up to. 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. The tale of Tim O'Connor starts with a Baby Doe born in Great Bend, Kansas. In those days, nobody in Nelson's Family had a title: If you had to ask for one, he didn't need you. Then, AMHII was torn down in 2016 to make room for a 28-story office building called Third + Shoal. And great product will make it so that you can eventually make money.". Id sure like to play your joint, said Willie, who was growing out his hair and looking for new audiences. If he hadn't been driving the getaway car, Tim O'Connor might have punched Willie Nelson. using a new Instagram account, Austin Pets Alive! He also volunteers that he's probably amassed as many enemies as friends. 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. "Not controlling your own destiny is a distinct disadvantage," says O'Connor. Parking was rugged and walks were long, but you felt like you were out in the country. "It wasn't by design, but it worked out that way.". What O'Connor didn't advance very well was peace between concert promoters and neighborhood groups. Let others know about your loved one's death. Travis Heights wouldn't be free of O'Connor until 1990. Berating the singer for letting his encore be overrun, O'Connor began yelling. He was schooled in electronics and radar at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, and then became a Radar Technician at Perrin AFB, Sherman, TX, where he worked on the exact fighter jet that is on display at Camp Mabry, Austin, TX. In the Eighties, he owned and operated the Austin Opera House, while co-founding Star Tickets and staging hundreds of large-scale festivals and benefits, from No Nukes concerts to Farm Aid. I don't know if that's bad, but I know I'll get to the mark. O'Connor denies critics' claims that he's used Pace's muscles to target Stubb's and Liberty Lunch, and maintains that the increased competition he's seen in the past few years has done more to hurt the local concert business than help his own. "He was apt to go off, which was a sign of the times, but we were always a little more laid back.". Chris OConnor passed away at his home on Thursday, January 28, 2016. "What do I want you to be?" Forecast: Severe storms possible Thursday, KVUE remembers the 2018 Austin bombings, 5 years later, Timeline: Severe storms possible on Thursday, Austin Pets Alive! 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. "Can you imagine sending a guy like me over as an ambassador of goodwill?" "I'll tell you the three things I never want you to be: cold, wet, or hungry.". Both are now available for adoption. O'Connor may have entered the Nineties knee-deep in debt to the IRS, but at least the Eighties were behind him. And honestly, for me, it wasn't about money in the end. Still, it was best for Tim to leave town for a couple years. When OConnor bought the building at 208 Nueces in Sept. 1994, the Austin Music Hall was its fourth venue that year. 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