DALLAS – Jack Calmes, founder of Syncrolite and founding partner of Showco, died Jan. 5 after a long illness. He was 71. Calmes is remembered for a long roster of innovations ranging from touring sound production to the first moving lights to the big beams adding punch to the visuals for the world’s largest sporting events. Funeral services are planned for Jan. 12 at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home in North Dallas.
“A lot of amazing technology came through his hands,” recalled PLSN editor Nook Schoenfeld, who noted how Calmes, who seemed to have a connection with almost everyone in the touring biz back in the day, gave Schoenfeld his first touring job at age 21.
Born in Oklahoma City, Calmes moved with his family to the Dallas area. He graduated from Highland Park High School, performing music for local proms with classmates that included Steve Miller and Boz Skaggs.
Before graduating with an accounting degree from Southern Methodist University in 1966, he teamed up with Angus Wynne to form Showco and was later joined by business partners Jack Maxson and Rusty Brutsche.
Showco became known as a pioneer in supporting stadium-sized rock events, providing gear for acts including Led Zeppelin, James Taylor and Three Dog Night and supporting their shows with audio mixing and stage monitors. Showco was acquired by Clair Brothers in 2000.
Along with Showco, Calmes and Wynne founded a Dallas venue, Soul City, in the late 1960s that, despite its 300-capacity size, featured such prominent acts as and Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Ike and Tina Turner, with Calmes occasionally jamming alongside the musicians on stage.
By the early 1970s, Showco was still growing in size and added lighting gear in 1972. At that time Calmes was also involved in managing artists including Freddie King and other touring acts. And in 1980, he founded a band known as the Forever Fabulous Chickenhawks Showband & All-Star Revue, playing lead guitar.
By 1980, when Calmes left Showco, the company had come up with the first dichroic filters for color-changing effects, and was in the process of introducing the first moving light to one of its clients, the British band Genesis.
Calmes’ former Showco partners launched Vari-Lite in 1984, the same year he formally launched Syncrolite, and the two companies battled each other, not just in the marketplace, but in court will alleged patent infringements. After a five-year span of suits and countersuits, the case was resolved in Vari-Lite’s favor.
Even so, Calmes was awarded two U.S. patents for design innovations, and Syncrolite’s technological achievements include the first fully automated DMX-controlled Xenon light system in 1989.
Known as the company that supplied “the brightest lights for the biggest nights,” Syncrolite provided crew members along with rented fixtures for the world’s biggest events and also provided big-beam effects for fixed installations at many of the world’s leading destinations.
By early 2013, while still retaining the title of Syncrolite president and CEO, Calmes announced plans to gradually hand over the reins as he edged toward retirement. The company also announced new private equity partner at that time. Syncrolite is now led by a team including Jerry Trojan, Jimmy Page Henderson, Steve Washington and Jacqui LaFleur.
