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. Timothy leaves. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Austin, Texas on facebook. ', "I think somewhere along the way, people that know me labeled me as a guy that if I said I'd do it, I did it -- at all costs. to the Family. That's rarely the case.". "Obviously, there's already a pattern developing," smiles O'Connor. Former baseball star Kelly Gruber and realtor wife Tosca owned La Zona Rosa for awhile, but it continued to lose money until OConnor took over in 1997. Although O'Connor believed he could build a venue that reflected "Old Austin," his venue was at least 15 minutes away from downtown. Chris was preceded in death by his father Joseph L. OConnor. Download it here. Funeral Home Se. There was something about that room- maybe Sarah Elizabeth Campbells Bummer Night on Tuesdays set the mood- but youd get sadness at its most comfortable. If he hadn't been driving the getaway car, Tim O'Connor might have punched Willie Nelson. I remember certain nights with Steve Goodman or John Prine where I physically threw people out for talking. "I don't know if you could quite call us enemies," Attal demurs. 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. 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. What do you want me to do? Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this . I am what I am," he says. Nelson and O'Connor were in business, 50-50, for a mere $10,000 up front. "Every other time we'd get behind in taxes or I'd miscalculate someway, I'd call Willie and he'd come in and play five dates. He also produces classy and smooth-running shows; as with the Backyard, acts that play Stubb's tell their agents they want to return. It may not have cost him his friendship with Nelson, but O'Connor's stray bullet came with a hefty price tag -- having to leave Castle Creek. Or maybe it's not ironic at all. Austin Owen O'Connor, 66 of Loogootee, was called home at 9:33 a.m. Friday, December 4, 2020 at Loogootee Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Has Alejandro Escovedo ever sounded better than on the Sunday nights that closed SXSW? It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website, Bobbie "Cole" OConnor, 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. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. 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. January 1993, they bought 13 acres in Bee Caves and began work on the Backyard and its Live Oak Amphitheater, a nearly 3,000-seat outdoor venue. It's about the excitement. Tim recognized that better than anyone. OBITUARY Gail Elizabeth O'Connor November 10, 1952 - October 20, 2018. . Not only did it allow Direct Events to lure agents and acts with the promise that they could move through their ranks, it kept the overall business operating 12 months a year, not just the seven months it was safe to stage shows at the Backyard. "We've always had a policy that if I knew an act better than somebody else or had a certain kind of relationship, it's probably best I'd make the call," explains O'Connor. ", "It was the holdout," says Henry Gonzalez, who first worked at the Armadillo and later stage-managed the Opera House. Chris was born on July 27, 1959 in Houston, Texas to Joseph L. OConnor and Elizabeth (Penny) Powell OConnor. Free of drugs and alcohol since 1988, Tim was addicted to the concert game, the work, the risk/reward rush, which eventually led to a slew of lawsuits and a 2013 bankruptcy. More importantly, the Opera House provided an alternative to the Armadillo. Thomas Morton O'Connor, 78, passed from this life on Oct. 7, 2010 in Austin, TX. Timothy James O'Connor, 65, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, April 16, 2015 with his family by his side. They did him one better, allowing him to stay in the garage apartment of their new house. "My first thought would be that they'd say, 'That's that old guy that's been around forever. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. It was the first O'Connor production to require a 747. So much so, in fact, that Attal has pried a sizable amount of shows away from Direct Events. "I may not know him as well as Charlie [Jones], but I'm certain it's not the money that drives him anymore. Learn More. 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. The tale of Tim O'Connor starts with a Baby Doe born in Great Bend, Kansas. Maybe it's yet another O'Connor business strategy. James Timothy OConnor, his adopted name, came to Austin in 1972 to open Castle Creek with his Colorado buddy Doug Moyes. "I wanted a fight.". The promoter shouldve retired in 2001, a move he contemplated in an Austin Chronicle cover story that year. 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. Both are now available for adoption. Soon married with a baby, he returned to California, where he eventually wound up laying drainage pipe in the Mojave Desert. "Better yet, I told them I'd put on every poster and ad, 'Plenty of free camping in beautiful Travis Heights.' At the time, musicians such as Jimmie Vaughan and Rusty Wier began stopping at the restaurant on their way to Winter Park. 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. "We had the town in a headlock," Ramsey says. Then came the mall that swallowed our idyllic music setting. That was unique, and I think a lot of that came from working with Willie. Guestbook Condolences Memorial Donation. Tim pulled off what I consider to be one of the world's greatest public relations miracles. Apprehended and returned to Wichita, it wasn't long before O'Connor ran away again. Indeed, says Steve Hauser, if you're looking for O'Connor's legacy, look toward his lack of patience for part-timers and carpetbaggers. "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. On those nights it was a listening room. By all means necessary. That OConnor had 13 very good years in that former chili factory was remarkable. "Instead of coming to work with machetes, we tried a pencil and pad. "He's always held most of the cards, and I've always been the guy fighting to get a few of them.". (The plan had been to throw it in the high school swimming pool.) Moreover, O'Connor has also long been Austin's king of the private party, hosting as many 200 private events a year at his three venues. What a mistake it was to tear down the Music Hall to build a new one that was worse than the old one. "He'd sign hundreds of dollar bills and tell the bank president he could come to whatever shows he wanted.". Burial will follow in Assumption Cemetery. I don't know if that's bad, but I know I'll get to the mark. The other rooms he rented. You could rent a stick to poke me with to make sure I'm really dead.". APA! Age 81. After a short stint at a Jesuit high school, he was again shipped away for discipline: this time to Kemper Military School in Booneville, Missouri. He loved staying busy. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. Program Support Representative in Kansas City and San Jose, then worked in Software Test and Development at Santa Teresa Lab in San Jose. Who Receive obituaries Sandra Lucille Hidrogo February 20, 2023 (81 years old) It started with a love of music. He knew he'd been sick for some time, but blamed it on exhaustion. worked with TRAPRS, a trapping, rescue and pet recovery service, for the rescue operation. And yet, his primary obstacle has been not being able to buy large shows year-round. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. . We're not bidding shows up 30-40% anymore.". During his career he was Sr. (Austin Pets Alive! And if you're always looking out for your town and its fans, look what happens. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. It started with a love of music.James Timothy OConnor, his adopted name, came to Austin in 1972 to open Castle Creek with his Colorado buddy Doug Moyes. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Nelson repeated. 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.) Tim O'Connor, longtime club owner, music entrepreneur and erstwhile promoter of Austin music, partner of Willie Nelson as a director of the famed Fourth of July picnics, has died. 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. In a press release, APA! View The Obituary For Christopher Joseph O"Connor. 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. Ann Richards in shorts, reading the. The Backyard had about 10 good years until the Shops of the Galleria began encroaching, eventually eating up most of the parking by its 2005 completion. Tim sold his share in 1990, too soon, and became an independent promoter, doing shows at City Coliseum and the Palmer. Tom married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Ford, on July 5, 1952, and they enjoyed 58 years devoted to each other. I felt lost, without a home, he told Chris Riemenschneider of the, By 1994, Fowlers Two-Alarm Chili money was almost gone, so he and his partners closed their liberal hangout where youd see Gov. On the road, O'Connor got his hands dirty re-wiring sound systems and handling payouts, but his stint with Nelson was short-lived. with all my heart. Their profiles are up on APA! 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. Celebrate the life of Maureen O'Connor, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. I'm sure that's what made his career.' Great story Stu, Mike F. is a great soulful singer! Timothy F. O'Connor Obituary. Then, AMHII was torn down in 2016 to make room for a 28-story office building called Third + Shoal. 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. 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. We were going to see what we could work out together, as opposed to being at each other's throats.". 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. Omni also repo-ed the original Backyard building. Recovering from triple-bypass surgery, OConnor opened up to writer Andy Langer in a rare Send In the Clowns manner. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. Late last year, however, SFX's purchase of the Backyard was a week away from being completed when it was called off. 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. When my lawyer got done kicking me in the leg, that's when things really went downhill," recalls O'Connor. Bobbie was preceded in death by her husband, Curly O Connor in 1974; her son, Arvel Franklin; and her parents, Frank and Louise . Berating the singer for letting his encore be overrun, O'Connor began yelling. Amy captured the rescue on video. Search Austin obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. Aesthetically, [the Opera House] and Liberty Lunch were the only ones to carry over the Seventies vibe into the Eighties decline.". At the time, the only viable concert venues for major touring talent were the City Coliseum, Palmer Auditorium, and the Erwin Center. "My hippies couldn't work with Willie's hippies. 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. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. 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. 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. "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.". 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. That wouldnt last long. It was there in the former Chequered Flag folk club on Lavaca, that OConnor met new Austin resident Willie Nelson. Chris OConnor passed away at his home on Thursday, January 28, 2016. to help find a new home for them. "As long as you're doing private parties, you know the money is there up front, and no matter who shows up, the check's clearing. "I'm known for being a guy that keeps a lot of things to myself. Timothy O'Connor, II, 51, passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 in Ennis, Texas Timothy was born on April 23, 1969 in Fond Du Lac, WI to Timothy Patrick and Rhonda (Floyd) O'Connor, I. Timothy attended school in Fond Du Lac and graduated from Rising Star High School in 1988. "I'm a loner," says O'Connor. Tim OConnor showed Austin how to put on a show, while content to stay in the background. Timothy J. O'Connor, 78, of Mentor-on-the-Lake, passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at his residence. The son of Charles and Gladys (Farrell) O'Connor was born on October 14, 1949 in Appleton. 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. "You have to create a niche that's so protected and specialized that it doesn't draw too much attention. "I'm dealing with the agents on both venues and putting the show where they'll be best presented. 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. Please, Like Lance Armstrong, OConnor just couldnt walk away from the action, and suffered the consequences. "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.". Moving into Michael Martin Murphy's house on 54th across from the DPS and forging fast friendships with musicians like Jerry Jeff Walker and Jimmy Buffet, O'Connor quickly made Castle Creek's bookings competitive. 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. More than anything else, the stories told and untold paint the picture of a man who knows how to get what he wants, a notoriously stubborn and tough negotiator who never shied away from staging a charity event or benefit. He's been zealously drug- and alcohol-free ever since. Tim was born in Queens, NY and moved to Yulee 18 years ago from Clearwater, FL. starts petition, says its location is in jeopardy, Justin Theroux is supporting Austin Pets Alive! The Austin Music Hall was repossesssed in 2012 by OmniBank, which lent OConnor the money for the razing and rebuilding. 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