SXSW Co-Founder Louis Meyers Has Passed Away

Published Mar 11, 2016

Today (March 11) marks the official kick-off of the 30th anniversary of South by Southwest , but the massive media conference's major milestone will now be marked with sadness, as co-founder Louis Meyers has passed away. Billboard confirmed rumours of Meyers' passing. He helped found the festival in 1987, on a team that also included Roland Swenson, Nick Barbaro, Louis Black, Joe Rae DiMenno and Linda Owen.In 1994, Meyers gave up his shares of SXSW citing stress and exhaustion — two aspects of the festival that anyone who has attended can surely sympathize with.After working with SXSW, Meyers had many other media ventures, including work with a music television channel and as head of the Folk Alliance International group.He was also a musician who sat in with the likes of Tommy Ramone, Jello Biafra and Fastball, among many others.