Jonathan Mayers, a co-founder of Superfly Entertainment and a driving force behind groundbreaking music festivals like Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, has died at the age of 51. With Bonnaroo taking place this week, it is a sad day for the community.
Raised just outside New York City, Mayers graduated from Tulane University in 1995 and quickly immersed himself in the vibrant New Orleans music scene. He worked at iconic institutions like Tipitina’s and Jazz Fest before co-founding Superfly Entertainment in 1996 alongside Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone, and Kerry Black. The group’s first concert—featuring The Meters, Maceo Parker, and Rebirth Brass Band—was held during Mardi Gras, marking the start of their ambitious journey.
In 2002, Superfly launched the inaugural Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Partnering with Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment, agent Chip Hooper of Paradigm, and manager Coran Capshaw of Red Light Management, they transformed a farm an hour outside of Nashville into a massive cultural event. With headliners like Trey Anastasio (Phish) and Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Bonnaroo sold out its first year and quickly established itself as a cornerstone of the modern music festival movement. It set a new standard for large-scale events in the 21st century, inspiring countless other festivals across the U.S.
Superfly continued to expand its festival footprint. In 2005, the company launched Vegoose, a Halloween-themed festival in Las Vegas. Three years later, Mayers partnered with Another Planet Entertainment to debut Outside Lands in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The multi-genre, multi-day event grew into the largest independently owned music festival in the country.
Mayers’ legacy lives on in the festivals and experiences that helped redefine live entertainment for a new generation.
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