title: Louis Messina
text: # Louis Messina
  
  Louis Messina is an American concert promoter who is best known for promoting Taylor Swift and George Strait.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Louis Messina's father was “Leapin’ Lou” Messina a New Orleans Boxing promoter. Living across the street from New Orleans’ Municipal Auditorium, his father took him to an Elvis Presley concert when he was 7 years old leading to his interest in music.
  
  ## Music career
  
  In 1975 Messina co-founded PACE Concerts. Messina founded the annual summer rock concert series Texxas World Music Festival (1978–1988) Texxas Jam. It was held in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, and in Houston, at either the Astrodome or Rice Stadium on the campus of Rice University. He also conceived of OzzFest with Sharon Osborne. Messina also promoted concerts in outdoor amphitheaters which reshaped the concert business. In 1997 Pace Concerts was bought by SFX. After SFX was sold to Clear Channel in 2000, Messina went out on his own to promote George Strait. His promotion of George Strait lead to him working with other artists including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Thru 2022 Louis has promoted shows grossing over $4.5 Billion. Messina received the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award. Messina also received the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.
  
  