Featured Photograph
Bill Graham and Ronnie Van Zant are going onto the stage at Oakland Coliseum just after Lynyrd Skynyrd had flown back from Austin, Texas where they played a Fourth of July gig with Willie Nelson. They were opening up for Peter Frampton, who at that point in time, was probably the #1 recording artist in the world. Fittingly, Lynyrd Skynyrd was probably the best American rock ‘n‘ roll band at that time and they played a blazing set that day. Bill loved Lynyrd Skynyrd, and they loved him. He always made sure that everything the band wanted was there for them, and he‘d come in and talk and joke with them before they went on. I remember Bill laughing with Ronnie and Artimus and Steve Gaines. Peter Rudge, their road manager, trying to squeeze Bill in a bear hug as Mary Beth Medley laughed. Bill really related to Ronnie and everyone in the band. There was always a great rapport, and you can see this as Bill and Ronnie clasp hands while taking the stage. – Michael Zagaris
Bill Graham was given, and later commissioned, countless photographs of events that he personally promoted from the 1960s onward. The archive includes black-and-white Summer of Love scenes, Lollapalooza in loud living color and much, much more. Browse the Bill Graham photography archive.
