From Houston to Austin
Concert promoter to the stars: Louis Messina counts Taylor Swift & Kenny Chesneyas clients — and friends
Taylor Swift
Louis and Christine MessinaCourtesy photo
Kenny Chesney
What do Taylor Swift, George Strait, Kenny Chesney and Reba McEntire have in common? If you answered legendary mega-Country music stardom you would be mostly, and obviously right, but that’s not all.
All four Country-Western superstars have the distinction of being the clients of one of the most successful and well-respected concert promoters in the world — Louis Messina. And while his name might not be easily recognized by those attending his current sell-out shows — serious music fans who grew up in the Southwest will be familiar with his legacy as a promoter.
Louis Messina now calls Austin and the Hill country home. It’s where he moved his Houston office a year ago. He also keeps an office in Nashville.
When Louis Messina first arrived in Houston from his hometown of New Orleans, he brought very little with him. “I moved there in a beat-up Toyota with not a penny in my pocket and Houston treated me really well, so I love Houston. I love Texas in general,” says Messina.
When Louis Messina first arrived in Houston from his hometown of New Orleans, he brought very little with him. “I moved there in a beat-up Toyota with not a penny in my pocket and Houston treated me really well, so I love Houston. I love Texas in general,” says Messina.
At the time – Pace Management was mostly focused on exhibition shows. Who can forget Evel Knievel on his motorcycle breaking all kinds of death-defying world records by jumping over stationary objects? Under Messina’s musical prowess, he and his partner Allen Becker expanded Pace Management to include live concerts. Both Messina and Becker were worried about the success of their concert promotion efforts. But in their first year the duo managed to achieve unheard of success by breaking even!
Messina remembers arranging some of the best shows in Southern rock history including one billed as “The Pride of Dixie” featuring the Charlie Daniels Band, the Allman Brothers Band, the Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie.
And he recalls other memorable shows. “For about 10 years every New Year’s Eve we did Willie Nelson at the Summit. I did all of the Outlaw Country. I did Willie, Waylon, Kristofferson and people like that,” recalls Messina.
Messina has survived more than 40 years as a successful concert promoter. But it wasn’t without major detours. In the '90s he was caught up in the consolidation of Pace when it was acquired by the corporation that would evolve into Live Nation. The corporate world didn’t appeal to Messina who prefers to be touring right alongside with his performers, taking care of every detail of their travels, concerts and musical well-being.
It’s obvious he considers performers to be more like friends and family. In a recent tribute to Messina in Billboard magazine, Taylor Swift is quoted saying, “Everybody loves having Louie around. He’s your friend who is always a blast to have out and talk about music with.”
Of his performers, Messina says “It’s all about trust and friendship. I mean you know that’s why I still work with George (Strait). I still work with Kenny (Chesney) and when the (Dixie)Chicks go out – I’ll still be working with them.”
Swift told Billboard magazine that the first time she met Messina she was 17 and the opening act on George Strait's tour, which he promoted.
What struck me as so strange and wonderful about him was that Louie seemed to have not a care in the world. He didn't come off like he had anything to stress about or anywhere to be, talking at his own relaxed pace and only speaking of his optimistic high hopes and genuine love for live shows. Afterward, someone told me, "You know, that's the guy who took Kenny Chesney from opening act to a stadium headliner."
He believed in her and took her on as a client, telling her, too, that one day she would sell out stadiums.
"He never gave me any advice or pointers, just these crazy optimistic premonitions of where he "knew" I would be someday. It's still hard to believe he's been right about all of them," she said. "The confidence I have in Louie and his team is priceless to me. There's really nothing like trusting the people you work with."
