LAS VEGAS — The Parnelli Awards Board of Directors announced that Ed Wannebo, longtime production manager for Kenny Chesney, will receive the live event industry’s highest honor, the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award, at the gala dinner and ceremony to be held Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 in Orlando during LDI.
“His relentless pursuit of making every nut and bolt of a tour production the best it can be continues to amaze me,” states LD Mike Swinford. “His involvement in the design and build phase has always produced a well oiled machine, from the first rehearsal to the final show of the tour.”
The Parnelli Board is equally amazed, and is looking forward to handing Wannebo the award.
Wannebo spent an unlikely childhood on a boat on the Columbia River near Portland, OR. “I think I’ve eaten salmon every way possible,” he says, convincingly. As a teen, he would end up in northern California, and his mother took him Sacramento, where she helped with fundraisers. There he found himself maneuvering padded columns holding 10-inch speakers.
In 1978, he started working with Jimi Hendrix impersonator Randy Hansen. Then he got a call in March 1980 to assist with lights for a one-off concert in Eugene. The band was Van Halen. “Here I am, and [production manager] Patrick Whitley comes over after the show and announces they don’t have enough lighting guys for the tour. He asked who was good, and someone pointed to me.”
Big tours — and things that Wannebo will only say “what you heard was true” — happened to the young man. “Van Halen changed my life forever.” From there, it was a steady climb up. He had a long relationship with Hall & Oates, eventually becoming their production manager. There was TV and movie work, including the Tina Turner Pepsi commercials. Oh yeah, and David Bowie’s Glass Spider tour, where he managed two lighting systems and called spots. ZZ Top, Stevie Nicks, and Jimmy Buffet are a few of the other acts he worked for.
By the new century’s dawn, he hooked up with Faith Hill/Tim McGraw, which provided him his country creds. He’s spent the last 10 years being the driving force for the award-winning Kenny Chesney tours. “I’ve been fortunate to step through some great doors,” he says quietly.
“Ed’s name has come up frequently in the board’s discussion in the last few years,” says PLSN/FOH publisher/Parnelli executive producer Terry Lowe. “This guy is smart, relentlessly positive, and does business in the live event world in a way that we should all aspire to. The Parnelli board is looking forward to giving Ed his well-deserved honor in Orlando.”
“Ed’s great personality is what makes him deserve this award as well as his professional expertise,” Swinford adds. “He is simply a kind and fun guy to be around and treats the crew with utmost respect. I have heard many industry professionals comment on Ed and they all say the same thing … ‘Now … that’s … how you do it!’”
For more information, please visit www.parnelliawards.com.
