Bill Graham
b. Wolfgang Wolodia Grajonca, 8 January 1931, Berlin, Germany, d. 25 October 1991. Born into a Russian-Jewish family, Graham arrived in New York during 1941, a refugee from Nazi persecution. After earning a degree in business administration, he moved to the west coast. By 1965 he was managing the San Francisco Mime Troupe, organizing the requisite benefit gigs to keep the revue afloat. Such work brought him into contact with the nascent rock fraternity and Graham began promoting concerts at the city's Fillmore Auditorium. The venue became the leading showcase for the San Francisco Sound, exemplified by Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead and Big Brother And The Holding Company. Graham, in turn, became a leading impresario, and by 1968 had bought the larger Carousel Ballroom, renaming it the Fillmore West. Within weeks he had opened a corresponding Fillmore East in a vacant cinema on New York's Second Avenue. 
As a hard-headed entrepreneur, he often came into conflict with the free-loading hippie idealism inherent in running a music venue. Yet Graham often confounded his critics by contributing to local help organizations in the form of benefits. In addition, the presentation of concerts at his venues paved the way for future promoters by way of introducing light shows, showing films between acts, free apples and taking a personal interest in the musicians giving a professional performance. He was also instrumental in efforts to integrate black artists on billings, so introducing many musicians to a predominantly white audience. These artists included B.B. King, Leon Thomas, Raahsan Roland Kirk, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters and Ravi Shankar. 
By the end of 1971, Graham had closed down both halls and determined to retire from a business for which he was losing respect. The final performances at the Fillmore West were captured on the film and accompanying album box-set, FILLMORE—THE LAST DAYS (1972). The sabbatical was brief and during the next decade he was involved in national tours by Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young, as well as major one-off events. Such work culminated on 13 July, 1985 when Graham organized the American segment of the Live Aidconcert for famine relief. A controversial and outspoken character, he also pursued a successful career in management, guiding, at different times, the paths of the Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Van Morrison and Dylan. 
Graham's tragic death in a helicopter crash occurred while returning from a Huey Lewis And The Newsconcert he had promoted, in South County, California. It robbed the rock music business of one its most legendary characters and greatest promoters. His funeral service was attended by members of the Grateful Dead, Santana and Quicksilver Messenger Service who offered musical tributes.