The Glastonbury Festival, which is held at the farm of English dairyman Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis CBE in Pilton, Somerset, was co-founded by him. Michael, the owner of Worthy Farm and a co-founder of Glastonbury Festival, was born Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis.
When he acquired a farm at the age of 19, Michael Eavis had a difficult beginning. When he realized he needed more cash for farm maintenance, he went to work at a colliery.
However, he aspired to change things. Eavis described how he began the festival with a “brilliant idea” in the BBC documentary Glastonbury: 50 Years and Counting.
Michael Eavis: Who is he?
Michael, the owner of Worthy Farm and a co-founder of Glastonbury Festival, was born Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis.
Led Zeppelin’s performance at the Bath Festival of Blues in 1969 marked the beginning of everything for Michael and his wife Jean.
He organized the Glastonbury Fayre, which evolved into the Glastonbury Festival, with Andrew Kerr the following year after hosting the Pilton Pop Folk & Blues Festival.
He has three previous marriages and four children total Juliet, Rebecca, Jane, and Emily, who he had with Ruth in his first marriage, and Jean, his second wife.
Emily, 42, has carried on Glastonbury’s tradition by organizing the festival today.
Related: Kevin Costner Net Worth In 2022 – Check Out His Career Earnings, Relationships, And A Lot More!
Glastonbury Owner Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Michael is £1.2 million.
While the festival generates tens of millions of dollars annually, he reportedly earns a salary of £60,000 and gives about £2 million to charity each year after paying his staff and event expenses.
Despite its modest beginnings, the festival has expanded to rank among the biggest in the world. However, Glastonbury draws well-known performers from around the world who contribute to funding the festival with hard-earned money. The 86-year-old American is wealthy, so to say that he is rich would be an understatement.
Related: Jerry Hall Net Worth – Check Out Her Early Years, Career, Personal Life, And Much More!
Festival de Glastonbury
Eavis and Jean, his second wife, went to the Bath Festival of Blues in 1969. Eavis organized the Pilton Pop Folk & Blues Festival in 1970 as a result of seeing Led Zeppelin perform.
Andrew Kerr and his companions organized a free festival the next year called Glastonbury Fayre, which ultimately changed its name to Glastonbury Festival.
He sang the chorus of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” on the Festival’s main stage in 2010—the event’s 40th year—alongside the headliner.
He sang “My Way” with Coldplay at the 2016 Glastonbury Festival while he was 80 years old.
Since when does he own Worthy Farm?
Since 1954, when Michael inherited Worthy Farm from his father after his passing, he has been the owner of the Somerset property.
Up to 1970, when the inaugural festival was held, it was a dairy farm.
Glastonbury has a fallow year every five years, which aids in the farmland’s ability to recuperate from the events.
Related: Juan Sartori Net Worth – An Eye On His Early Life, Career, Personal Life!
Work for charity
He has donated a share of the proceeds from his Glastonbury Festival to philanthropic organizations, including regional initiatives like the renovation of the Tithe Barn in Pilton. Eavis claimed that the Festival could never lose its license because of the value it contributes to the local economy in a November 2008 appearance on the BBC Radio 4 program Desert Island Discs.
Eavis starred in a short film produced by the Inward Investment Agency Into Somerset in 2009 to promote Somerset.
Eavis resigned from his position as vice-president of Somerset Wildlife Trust in June 2018 after an online petition criticizing his support for badger culling went viral. He shared the position with Rebecca Pow MP. According to Eavis’ response to the petition, petitioners “probably live in Kensington” and have “never seen a badger.”
