Bill Graham Biography

Bill Graham

After fleeing Nazi Germany with his parents and serving in the U.S. Army in Korea, he settled in San Francisco and studied business. He managed the San Francisco Mime Troupe before moving on to present entertainment in his own clubs, including the Fillmore. His success at promoting counter-culture enabled him to open the Fillmore East in New York City in 1968, but three years later he had closed his clubs to focus on promoting large-scale concerts.