Showco Belongs in the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The company behind the sound.
The family behind the music.
The Company That Helped Shape Live Entertainment
Genesis stage build, Open Air Festival, Germany (1978)
Showco alumni Craig Schertz, Johnny "JW" Roberts, and fellow crew members prepare the Genesis production before the audience arrives. Courtesy of the Showco Archives.
Founded in Dallas in 1970, Showco revolutionized the way audiences experienced live entertainment. From groundbreaking sound reinforcement systems and innovative stage production to lighting, rigging, and touring logistics, Showco helped establish many of the standards still used throughout the industry today.
Behind countless unforgettable productions stood a team of engineers, technicians, designers, production managers, truck drivers, carpenters, electricians, and road crew whose work made each event possible.
Their innovations influenced generations of live production professionals and helped shape concerts, festivals, conventions, rodeos, pageants, corporate events, television productions, and countless other live productions around the world.
A Historic Opportunity
If recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame through the Musical Excellence Award, Showco would become the first live sound reinforcement company ever honored by the Hall.
It would also provide a rare opportunity to celebrate the pioneers who transformed the live entertainment industry while several of its earliest innovators are still with us—including co-founders Rusty Brutsche and Angus Wynne III, along with Jim Bornhorst, whose work helped pioneer Vari-Lite and forever changed concert lighting.
For many of their fellow innovators, that opportunity has already passed.
Recognizing Showco would not only honor one remarkable company—it would acknowledge an entire profession whose creativity, innovation, and dedication have shaped the live music experience for generations.
A Legacy at a Glance
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1965
The Story Begins.
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1970–2000
The Sound Company Era.
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Global Reach
Supporting productions across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and beyond.
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Innovation
Advancing sound reinforcement, staging, lighting, rigging, touring logistics, and production technology.
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People First
Hundreds of engineers, technicians, designers, production managers, truck drivers, carpenters, electricians, riggers, and crew members whose work made every production possible.
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Enduring Influence
The innovations, training, and influence of Showco alumni continue to shape the live production industry today.
Changing the Course of Live Production
Showco didn’t simply support live productions — it helped redefine how they were designed, built, lit, heard, and experienced.
Its innovations in sound reinforcement, monitor systems, staging, lighting, touring logistics, production management, and moving-light technology helped establish standards that continue to influence productions around the world.
Showco’s role in the development of Vari-Lite alone is a major part of why its story belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame conversation.
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Engineering
Designing groundbreaking systems and technologies that changed how live productions were built.
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Sound
Pioneering professional sound reinforcement and monitor systems for modern touring.
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Lighting
Advancing concert lighting into a creative and technical art form that transformed live productions.
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Vari-Lite
Showco alumni helped pioneer Vari-Lite, the moving-light technology that revolutionized concert lighting.
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Touring Production
Pioneering large-scale touring systems, staging, rigging, logistics, and production management for live entertainment.
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People
Developing generations of engineers, lighting designers, technicians, production managers, riggers, and industry leaders.
The Showco Legacy Across Live Entertainment
For more than three decades, Showco and its alumni helped shape an extraordinary range of artists, productions, festivals, conventions, rodeos, pageants, television productions, corporate events, and historic moments.
Some represent complete Showco productions. Others reflect performances and events where Showco alumni contributed their expertise in sound, lighting, staging, production, engineering, logistics, and touring support throughout their careers.
Together, they illustrate the remarkable reach and lasting influence of the Showco family across the live entertainment industry.
Explore Showco's history through chronological archive collections spanning 1965 to today.
1978 Genesis - Open Air Festival Germany
1979 Bee Gees Stage Build
1988 Van Halen Light Plot
Showco Superboard @ Texas Broadcast Museum
Farm Aid II Crew Laminate/Pass
James Taylor on Showco Road Case
KISS Mic Chart/Stage-plot written by Doc Gans
Pyramid Cabinets
Genesis Crew
1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd Itinerary
US Festival assignments
1987 Boston Crew
1976 David Bowie Crew
1979 Bee Gees Crew
Genesis Crew
Genesis Crew meeting Princess Diana
Genesis Crew meeting Princess Diana
The Who Crew
Phil Collins Crew Japan 1987?
1979 Havana Jam Crew
Little Feat Crew
PHIL COLLINS 1985 CREW PIC NO JACKET REQUIRED
Genesis Crew
Led Zeppelin Crew
Genesis Crew
Wings 1976 Crew
ZZ Top Crew
While audiences remember the artists on stage, every production depended on the dedication of the people behind the scenes.
Showco's legacy was built by engineers, lighting designers, technicians, production managers, riggers, carpenters, electricians, truck drivers, office staff, and countless others whose work made each production possible.
Many went on to shape the live entertainment industry for decades, carrying Showco's standards of innovation, professionalism, and mentorship throughout the world.
Today, the Showco Archives proudly preserves and shares the stories of the family behind the music.
The Family Behind the Music
A Legacy Reflected in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ⭐
Since its founding as a professional sound company in 1970, Showco and its alumni have contributed to productions involving dozens of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. From pioneering arena tours and festival productions to one-off performances, special events, and decades-long touring relationships, Showco's influence can be found throughout the history celebrated by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Whether serving as the production company, providing sound and lighting, supporting touring operations, or through the work of individual Showco alumni, these artists and productions reflect the extraordinary reach of the Showco legacy.
Showco's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Connections
The following Hall of Fame inductees represent just some of the artists and productions connected to the Showco legacy through complete productions, touring relationships, one-off events, engineering, lighting, sound reinforcement, production management, and the work of individual Showco alumni.
Phil Collins
Genesis
Peter Gabriel
Paul McCartney & Wings
Prince
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
David Bowie
The Who
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Aerosmith
KISS
Van Halen
ZZ Top
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Bee Gees
Chicago
Stevie Wonder
Santana
Deep Purple
The Kinks
Kool & the Gang
Parliament-Funkadelic
Hall & Oates
Billy Preston
James Taylor
Jackson Browne
Joe Walsh
Linda Ronstadt
George Michael
Elvis Presley
Dionne Warwick
Diana Ross
Don Henley
B.B. King
Willie Nelson
Cat Stevens (Yusuf)
Iggy Pop
The Beach Boys
The Jacksons / Michael Jackson
Rod Stewart (Faces)
The O'Jays
Steely Dan
Van Morrison
WAR
U2
The Allman Brothers Band
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
…and many more.
Showco did more than support live entertainment—it helped redefine it.
From pioneering professional concert sound reinforcement to advancing concert lighting, helping develop Vari-Lite moving light technology, refining large-scale touring systems, and mentoring generations of production professionals, Showco's influence extends far beyond any single artist or performance.
Its innovations transformed how productions were heard, seen, and experienced.
Its alumni carried those innovations throughout the world, continuing to influence the industry long after Showco's name disappeared from arena marquees.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exists to honor those whose contributions fundamentally changed music and live performance.
By preserving Showco's history—and recognizing the extraordinary people behind it—we honor not only a company, but an entire generation whose work helped shape modern live entertainment.
Because every legendary performance depended on someone behind the scenes.
And for countless productions around the world...
That someone was Showco.
Why Showco Belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
This page represents an ongoing historical project. The Showco Archives continues to preserve and document the stories, artifacts, innovations, and people who helped shape live entertainment from 1965 to the present. New material is added regularly through contributions from alumni, families, collectors, and supporters around the world.