1967 was a remarkable time in music and live sound with the freedom to work alongside a new generation of artists. The opportunity to innovate was everywhere. The Bay Area was in the center of it all with creative artists, a free spirit and high-level universities providing R+D resources. This was the inspiration for Meyer Sound, and we've remained dedicated to this spirit of handmade innovation ever since.”
John MeyerMeyer Sound co-founder and CEO
The Summer of Love — 1967 — served as the epicenter of the counter-culture, beckoning thousands of young people to the San Francisco Bay Area. Flower Power was up, war was down, the Monterey International Pop Festival served as a precursor to Woodstock, and two young sound enthusiasts named John and Helen, went on a date at a Berkeley hi-fi shop to hear The Beatles seminal, psychedelic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
That same year, John Meyer was tapped by Steve Miller to develop a better sound system for the blues rocker’s Monterey Pop performance. While it would be another decade before Meyer Sound was formally founded, this formative period laid the cornerstones for a company that would blaze sonic trails, and provide innovative audio experiences, decade after decade, from the analog into the digital ages.
Throughout 2017, to celebrate their love, and the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, John and Helen Meyer will visit key Meyer Sound customers, host exclusive curated events in Meyer Sound environments at the company’s Berkeley, California campus, in the San Francisco Bay Area, around the US, and around the world. John and Helen will highlight their innovative, handcrafted audio products, systems and ideas — for live music of all genres in concert halls and stadiums, corporate settings, educational arenas, theatres, houses of worship, restaurants, cinema post-production and exhibition, fine art projects, and more.
While Meyer Sound can be experienced in many places around the world, the magic truly comes to life in a personal behind-the-scenes tour of the factory and laboratories with the company’s co-founders, and other key members of the Meyer Sound family, in Berkeley. The world’s most notable sound designers and engineers leave amazed by the artistry, passion and vision that goes into every system and sound concept. As part of the celebration this year, the gates to the campus will open to a few lucky guests through a contest for an all-expense paid trip to visit Meyer Sound in Berkeley. Details to be announced soon. As a central hub for information about Meyer Sound innovation, products, ideas, and the Summer of Love 50th anniversary celebration details, the new Meyer Sound website launches today: meyersound.com.
“1967 was a remarkable time in music and live sound with the freedom to work alongside a new generation of artists,” said Meyer Sound co-founder and CEO John Meyer. “The opportunity to innovate was everywhere. The Bay Area was in the center of it all with creative artists, a free spirit and high-level universities providing R+D resources. This was the inspiration for Meyer Sound, and we’ve remained dedicated to this spirit of handmade innovation ever since.”
“To celebrate, we’re creating an incredible program for 2017,” said Meyer Sound co-founder and Executive Vice President Helen Meyer. “We will travel near and far to see our customers and creations and participate in exclusive experiences, to launch important new products, host game-changing listening experiences, increase our festival presence and collaboration with key touring partners, and explore new Meyer Sound frontiers, such as China and India. We have some special surprises in store and can’t wait to reveal them at just the right moments!”