Active Years: 1967 -1970
Original Owners: Tom Lasley (1948-2014) and Jack Chunn
“Lasley’s empire-building business began at a birthday party during his senior year at South Eugene High School. At the party, he and another fellow decided to start Northwest Sound, Inc and promote dances…Several months later, Lasley signed a deal that gave him and his partner Jack Chunn use of the Armory for dances, whenever the National Guard wasn’t using it, which was usually Friday nights.” Source: Jan 2, 1968 RG article: Dance Promotion a Risky Business
As a freshman at Southern Oregon University, he arranged the Grateful Dead’s first appearance in Oregon….After college, Lasley moved to Portland and made a small fortune as Oregon’s Ticketmaster franchise owner, before the corporation began operating its own outlets across the nation. By his mid-20s, Lasley was handling ticketing for every major musical act to play Portland during the glory days of touring rock and roll. He sold tickets to everything from Pink Floyd to Disney on Ice. Source: Tom Lasley, Portland concert ticketer, philanthropist, dies at 65