Bill Graham, who built an empire promoting concerts as rock 'n' roll turned psychedelic in the 1960s with groups including Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and Santana, died in a helicopter crash. He was 60.
Graham was killed with two other people Friday night when the helicopter hit a 200-foot utility tower in Sonoma County, about 25 miles north of San Francisco, said spokeswoman Jean Catino.Graham was flying to his home in Marin County after a Huey Lewis concert he promoted in Concord, said Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Jay Farmer.
Also killed were Melissa Gold and the pilot, Steve Kahn, Catino said. There was no immediate explanation of who Gold was. The wreckage remained suspended in power lines Saturday, and power was out to thousands.
"My heart's crushed," guitarist Carlos Santana said. "He was always there from the beginning."
"He was the great gardener and the Grateful Dead and Santana have deep roots where storms cannot bring us down," Santana said. "We were both nourished and replenished by his philosophy and tenacity."
Singer Richie Havens recalled Graham hiring him before he became famous for his performance at Woodstock.
"He would pay four or five acts on a single bill," Havens said. "Nobody did that. He basically brought us to the audiences. I would venture to say a lot of us wouldn't be famous if it wasn't for Bill."
Grace Slick, the Jefferson Airplane's lead singer, said Graham's death shocked her. "It seems like the end of an era," she said.
Graham organized The Band's Last Waltz tour in 1976, the Crosby Stills Nash and Young reunion tour in 1974 and the Rolling Stones' 1982 tour.