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Rock impresario Bill Graham

Rock impresario Bill Graham. We remember him with a 1989 interview recorded in San Francisco. He first made his mark as the rock promoter of the psychedelic scene. He came up with the idea of turning old theatres into rock venues... he had the Fillmore in San Francisco and the Fillmore East in New York. He eventually branched out into every aspect of rock promotion. He was a producer of several groundbreaking international benefits including Live Aid and the Amnesty International concert tours. Graham died in a 1991 helicopter crash at the age of 60.

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Other segments from the episode on August 30, 2017

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 30, 2002: Interview with Bill Graham; Interview with John Phillips; Interview with Neil Young.
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24:45

John Phillips

He was the principal songwriter for the pop group that had a string of hits from 1966 to 1968 when the group broke up. Their hits included "Monday, Monday," "California Dreamin*," "I Saw Her Again Last Night" and others. He died of heart failure in March of 2001. He was 65.

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15:00

Singer Neil Young

In 1966 he joined L.A. rock band Buffalo Springfield; they split up three albums later due to inter-band fighting and their lack of commercial success. Young then meandered from band to band, including "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young," while doing a lot of solo work as well. He's been called the "Godfather of Grunge," and "The king of punk."

Interview

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27:39

Rock Impresario Bill Graham

The San Francisco-based Graham organized and promoted concerts for several important bands in the 1960s. He worked hard to create diverse lineups, and balance the needs and desires of artists and record labels. Graham closed his iconic Fillmore Theater in 1971.

Interview

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