Harry Luge Sr., the entrepreneur who helped bring the Country Thunder music festival to Florence from Queen Creek 10 years ago, died on New Year's Eve.
Luge, 69, lived in the San Tan Valley north of Florence.
Luge and his family business, Luge and Son's Development, owned and developed Canyon Moon Ranch and its sprawling alfalfa fields, where Country Thunder moved after losing its lease at the original festival grounds in Queen Creek in late 2002.
The festival, marking its 20th anniversary this year, will be on April 11-14 with a lineup that includes Lady Antebellum and Toby Keith. The festival drew a record-setting attendance of 76,396 last year.
The Luge family also owned and developed Country Thunder's home in Twin Lakes Wisc., where the festival is held each July.
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Luge's interest in the festival was a natural segue from his experience owning a pair of East Valley night clubs - Club Cabo and Rooster's, where his son Harry Luge made a name for himself as a country singer. The younger Luge drew a large crowd for his shows at Country Thunder in Arizona and Wisconsin.
Luge's company also developed fire stations for Rural Metro Corp. and Southwest Ambulance.
About a year ago, Luge Sr. opened Moonshine Willy's, a weekends-only honky tonk at the Canyon Moon Ranch. On Friday, there will be a celebration of his life at the club at 20585 E. Price Station Road, starting at 8 p.m.
Luge Sr. was born in Illinois and grew up in Arizona. The father of three spent 36 years as a regional sales manager with Moog Industries, according to an obituary posted on Moonshine Willy's Facebook page.
Services were held Monday in Gilbert.
Cathalena E. Burch
