Bonnaroo Co-Founder Dead at 51

Jonathan Mayers, who co-founded music festivals Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 51 years old.

Mayers and his colleagues launched Bonnaroo — an all-genre festival held in the middle Tennessee town of Manchester — in 2002. Since then, it has become one of the biggest music festivals in the U.S., and it has a strong country music presence.

The news of Mayers’ death comes just two days before this year’s Bonnaroo is due to start on June 12. Luke Combs is one of the headliners, alongside Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator and Hozier.

A native of New York, N.Y., Mayers founded his marketing and event company, Superfly Presents, in 1996. In addition to Bonnaroo, he also founded or worked on several more festivals over the course of his career, including the music, art, beer and cannabis festival Outside Lands in San Francisco, and the comedy festival Clusterfest.

“This is incredibly tough news for so many of us,” Red Light management founder Coran Capshaw — also one of Bonnaroo’s co-founders — tells Billboard. “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.”

Billboard reports that Mayers’ role at Superfly was “terminated” in 2021, and the following year, he sued some of his former partners at the company, accusing them of civil misrepresentation, breach of contract and fraud. A judge in New York dismissed the suit in 2023.

Following his death, the company released a statement, saying they were “heartbroken” by the news. “He was a cherished part of Superfly’s story, woven into its 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,” the statement continues. “No one could light up a room like Jon.”

Mayers’ cause of death was not immediately available.