Jonathan Mayers, Bonnaroo and Superfly Partner, Dead at 51

Through his work with Superfly Entertainment, Jonathan Mayers worked on festivals like Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Vegoose.

Jonathan Mayers, a live events professional whose influence is felt in festivals like Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, has passed away at the age of 51. No cause of death has been given at the time of writing.

The news initially came courtesy of Billboard. “This is incredibly tough news for so many of us,” said Red Light Management Founder Coran Capshaw, according to the outlet. “Jon was the creative force behind so much of what people experience at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and many other events over the years. We’re all really going to miss him.”

Bonnaroo paid tribute to the late Superfly Entertainment founder in an Instagram post. “Our hearts are extremely heavy as we mourn the loss of one of our Co-Founders, Jonathan Mayers,” it reads. “For more than a decade Jonathan was a creative force behind this festival that so many of us have held near and dear to our hearts now for more than twenty years.”

“We are heartbroken with the passing of Jonathan,” wrote the other Superfly co-founders in a statement shared with Billboard. “He was a cherished part of Superfly’s story, woven into it’s history and legacy. In addition to the role he’s played in bringing joy to millions, we will miss his razor sharp wit, infectious smile and contagious laugh. No one could light up a room like Jon.”

After growing up outside New York City and attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Jonathan Mayers graduated in 1995 and immediately started working for brands like Tipitina’s and Jazz Fest. The following year, he founded Superfly alongside Rick Farman, Kerry Black, and Richard Goodstone, initially organizing single-night concerts under the banner.

But it was the 2002 debut of Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee that cemented Superfly as a permanent fixture of the live music landscape. The festival took its name from the 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo, with the latter word roughly translating to “a good time” in Cajun. The 70,000 people who attended its first year could attest that it was fitting indeed.

Superfly Entertainment is also responsible for San Francisco festival Outside Lands, not to mention notable but now-defunct gatherings such as Clusterfest in San Francisco and Vegoose in Las Vegas. In 2021, Mayers was terminated from the company’s board amid tensions with his co-founders — but his work continued in the form of a music campus project called Core City Detroit.

We here at EDM Identity express our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Jonathan Mayers during what can only be a difficult time.