Louis Messina Explained
Louis Messina is an American concert promoter who is best known for promoting Taylor Swift and George Strait.
Early life
Louis Messina's father was “Leapin’ Lou” Messina a New Orleans Boxing promoter. Living across the street from New Orleans’ Municipal Auditorium, his father took him to an Elvis Presley concert when he was 7 years old leading to his interest in music.[1]
Music career
In 1975 Messina co-founded PACE Concerts. Messina founded the annual summer rock concert series Texxas World Music Festival (1978–1988) Texxas Jam. It was held in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, and in Houston, at either the Astrodome or Rice Stadium on the campus of Rice University. He also conceived of OzzFest with Sharon Osborne.[2] [3] Messina also promoted concerts in outdoor amphitheaters which reshaped the concert business.[4] In 1997 Pace Concerts was bought by SFX.[5] After SFX was sold to Clear Channel in 2000,[6] Messina went out on his own to promote George Strait.[7] His promotion of George Strait lead to him working with other artists including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.[8] Thru 2022 Louis has promoted shows grossing over $4.5 Billion.[9] Messina received the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award.[10] [11] Messina also received the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.[12] On June 15, 2024 George Strait's concert in Texas with 110,905 fans in attendance is believed to be the largest single ticketed concert in U.S. History.[13]
Notes and References
- Web site: Fishes . Mobile Loaves & . 2020-03-09 . Louis Messina: Just a Kid From the Streets of New Orleans . 2022-11-07 . Mobile Loaves & Fishes . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-09-12 . Lou-minary: Louis Messina's Midas Touch - Pollstar News . 2022-11-07 . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-11-07 . Louis Messina 50th Anniversary Special: The Pollstar Interview - Pollstar News . 2022-11-08 . en-US.
- Waddell . Ray . 2015-10-11 . From the Desk Of…Louis Messina, CEO/Founder of Messina Touring Group . 2022-11-07 . Billboard . en-US.
- Web site: Sandler . Adam . 1997-12-28 . SFX picks up promoter Pace . 2022-11-07 . Variety . en-US.
- Web site: Clear Channel buying SFX in $4.4B deal - Feb. 29, 2000 . 2022-11-07 . money.cnn.com.
- Web site: Promoter 101 # 60 - Messina Touring Group's Louis Messina and Shaw Ent's Simon Shaw . 2022-11-07 .
- promoter101
. 22 November 2017 . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-05-16 . 2022 Impact 50: Louis Messina - Pollstar News . 2022-11-07 . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-11-07 . The Louis Messina Tapes: 'A Street Kid from New Orleans' on 50 Years of Live Highs and Lows - Pollstar News . 2022-11-07 . en-US.
- Web site: 2017-02-28 . The Stars Align For T.J. Martell 9th Annual Nashville Honors Gala . 2022-11-07 . MusicRow.com . en-US.
- Web site: T.J. Martell Foundation 9th annual Nashville Honors Gala . 2022-11-07 . www.tennessean.com . en.
- Web site: Willman . Chris . 2018-12-07 . Promoter Louis Messina Set for Lifetime Achievement Honor at CMA Touring Awards . 2022-11-07 . Variety . en-US.
- Web site: 2024-06-17 . George Strait Plays To 110,905 Ticketed Fans In College Station, Texas, In Record-Breaking Concert - Pollstar News . 2024-06-18 . en-US.