The History of Rock and Roll

This Monday, November 16th, 2026, we’re bringing you another special Rock Music Spotlight, remembering one of the most influential concert promoters in rock and roll history, Bill Graham.

From the psychedelic music scene of San Francisco in the 1960s to some of the biggest rock concerts and benefit events of the 1970s and 1980s, Bill Graham helped transform the way audiences experienced live music.

We’ll celebrate his remarkable career with music from Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Santana, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, and many others who performed on stages associated with his legendary concerts.

We’ll take a musical journey through the history of The Fillmore Auditorium and Fillmore West in San Francisco, where Bill Graham brought together an extraordinary variety of artists and musical styles.

His concerts featured psychedelic rock, blues, soul, folk rock, British rock, and the exciting new sounds of the counterculture era. We’ll revisit performances and music from artists including Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Blue Cheer, Sly and the Family Stone, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many others.

We’ll also explore the history of Fillmore East in New York City, which became one of the most celebrated concert venues in America, hosting unforgettable performances by groups such as The Allman Brothers Band, The Byrds, and The Who.

Another important part of Bill Graham’s legacy was the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, where so many memorable concerts took place. Among its most famous events was The Band’s farewell concert, The Last Waltz, on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, featuring guest performances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, and other legendary musicians.

The concert was later immortalized in Martin Scorsese’s celebrated documentary film. We’ll also discuss Graham’s role in developing the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, and how his concert promotion work helped establish venues that became important landmarks in American rock history.

Beyond his legendary concerts, Bill Graham was also known for organizing major benefit performances and humanitarian events. We’ll remember his involvement with the SNACK benefit concert in 1975, the American portion of Live Aid in 1985, Amnesty International’s A Conspiracy of Hope and Human Rights Now! concerts, and benefit events supporting communities affected by earthquakes and fires.

His extraordinary career came to a tragic end on October 25th, 1991, when he died in a helicopter crash while returning from a concert-related engagement. This year marks the 35th anniversary of his passing, and we’ll celebrate the music, artists, venues, and unforgettable moments that remain part of his legacy.

Mark your calendars for Monday, November 16th, and join us as we remember Bill Graham and the incredible history of live rock and roll.

Don’t miss it!