Local Musician’s Family to Host Music Festival in Her Memory
The Goodmans honor their daughter and fundraise for local nonprofits through MeadowFest
By Aaron Sullivan, Fri., Aug. 23, 2024
Meadow Goodman was distinctive. Days before the first anniversary of her death, her parents recall that she was also intuitive, hilarious, a devoted friend, a budding musician, and maybe a bit of a trickster. Most of all, Meadow “was a force,” says her father, local bassist Greg Goodman.
“Meadow had already figured out how the world worked and that there was a lot of bullshit in the world that she was refusing to tolerate,” Greg says. “That really does describe her well.”
Last year, Meadow took her own life after struggling with mental illness. She was 15 years old. Her parents said that they, along with her mental health practitioners, believe Meadow had undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which typically wouldn’t be diagnosed until age 18.
“As hard as this is, the only solace we have is knowing that she’s at peace,” says Meadow’s mother, Lulu Goodman. “Then the secondary solace for us is doing whatever we can to honor her life and her time here.”
The Goodmans will hold a music festival on Aug. 24 to remember Meadow’s life and raise money for nonprofits that support musicians and queer youth with mental health struggles. Grammy-winning Grupo Fantasma will headline MeadowFest at the Far Out Lounge; the lineup also features KUTX’s July Artist of the Month Superfónicos as well as Nemegata, the Point, and other artists.
“There’s a lot of people in that lineup that reflect friends of mine [in the music scene],” Greg says. “Just in short, we’ve gotten a lot of great people involved now, and it’s really making the event that much stronger.”
Lulu says she thinks that MeadowFest’s mission speaks to anyone affected by mental illness, directly or indirectly.
“Not a lot of people have experienced the loss of a child, which is unspeakable,” Lulu says. “But so many people have come forward to let us know about their struggles with mental illness [and] their family struggles. Also, so many people have let us know about others in their lives who they’ve lost to suicide. So this fight – that we are hoping to put forth [with] our own fists – is, in many ways, universal.”
The Goodmans have been open about Meadow’s death ever since it happened. Greg says opening the door on this part of their life has allowed others who have experienced similar losses to find the courage to talk about their own struggles.
“There’s a stigma that is tied to suicide,” Greg says. “We feel like in order to get help and attention to this issue, it needs to be discussed, and it can’t be tucked away. That has been the thing that I think has driven us to be open and talk about what Meadow dealt with and what so many teenagers deal with.”
Greg says the proceeds from MeadowFest will be donated to nonprofits that reflect Meadow’s life and legacy: SIMS Foundation, which supports musicians experiencing mental health problems, and Out Youth, which supports LGBTQ+ youth in Central Texas.
“The whole fundraising aspect of this,” Greg says, “I think that it’s such an appropriate way to honor Meadow and to also raise awareness.”
City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes will attend MeadowFest to read a proclamation on behalf of the mayor, declaring Aug. 24 as Meadow Goodman Mental Health Awareness Day.
“I think [the proclamation] is a wonderful way to honor Meadow in the name of mental health awareness,” Greg says. “From here, we’re hoping to carry her name and tie that to helping others. We know that’s something she would want.”
MeadowFest
Saturday 24, the Far Out Lounge
