Featured | News

Bill’s 89th Birthday Bash with Los Lobos

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Tickets on sale Friday, October 25, 2019 at 10am

The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation Presents
Bill’s 89th Birthday Bash

LOS LOBOS
with DJ Harry Duncan

Silent Auction, birthday cake, and good company

News | Press

WSL Radio’s Sirott and Murciano Interview David Graham
ByBGMF September 8, 2017September 18, 2017

Bob and Marianne interview David Graham about his father’s Bill Graham Exhibition at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, longtime Chicagoan weather forecaster Jim Tilmon stops by to talk about his new book, controversial doctor Joseph Mercola talks about alternative medicine and healthy eating, plus hurricane updates from NBC reporter Laura Rodriguez, Aviation Meteorology Professor Rick DiMaio,…

Read More WSL Radio’s Sirott and Murciano Interview David Graham
Events | Featured

Find Yourself in Find Yourself in the Group Photo 2026 Bill’s Bash
ByBGMF January 22, 2026January 22, 2026

Click to open a page with three large group photos; you can zoom in to find yourself.

Read More Find Yourself in Find Yourself in the Group Photo 2026 Bill’s Bash
Events | Featured

Bluecoat Reunion Nov 1 2025
ByBGMF November 6, 2025November 6, 2025

Bluecoat Reunion Nov 1 2025 at Coventry Grove – a fine time was had by all Thanks to Steve Rigney, Anne Scheer, Robin Nasatir, Rita Gentry, Danny Scher, Brian Auger, Dog Beaver, the Bluecoat Blues Band and everyone who showed up and pitched in to make it such a great day. Thank you to John Taber…

Read More Bluecoat Reunion Nov 1 2025
Events | Featured

Bill Graham Tribute Night 2017
ByBGMF April 26, 2017May 23, 2017

The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation is thrilled to announce the Seventh Annual Bill Graham Tribute Night at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Friday, June 9th at 7:15 pm San Francisco Giants host the Minnesota Twins YOUR SPECIAL EVENT TICKETS INCLUDE: A Ticket to the Friday Night Game A very special collector’s edition Bill Graham Tribute Night…

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News

8th Annual SF Giants Bill Graham Tribute
ByBGMF September 2, 2018February 7, 2019

8th Annual Bill Graham Tribute Night at AT&T Park SF Giants vs Colorado Rockies Friday Sept 14th 7:15 PM game time We are happy to announce that the SF Giants Bill Graham Tribute Night will take place Friday Sept 14th at AT&T Park. The SF Giants will be up against the Colorado Rockies. Game starts…

Read More 8th Annual SF Giants Bill Graham Tribute
News

Rock & roll at Holocaust Museum? Life of legendary concert promoter Bill Graham makes it happen
ByBGMF August 1, 2018September 4, 2018

From The Jewish Press of Pinellas County The Florida Holocaust Museum’s upcoming exhibit will intersect the Holocaust with the rock & roll explosion that ignited in the 1960s. Opening in St. Petersburg in August, “Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution” is the first exhibition to explore the extraordinary life of renowned concert impresario Bill…

Read More Rock & roll at Holocaust Museum? Life of legendary concert promoter Bill Graham makes it happen

Nelson Mandela for a Free South Africa 1990

After his release from prison in February of 1990, Nelson Mandela traveled extensively, making several trips to the United States. He came to the Bay Area in June 1990, where he was honored at a sold-out concert at the Oakland Coliseum.

For Bill Graham, it was important that the show reflected the supporters of Mandela and the makeup of the greater Bay Area. During a press conference Bill said that he felt strongly about what the Bay Area stands for having been the home of the free speech movement and so supportive of the labor movement, and that recognition should be given to those factors. In addition to that “the music at the event must be roots music that emanated from Africa extending into gospel and jazz and blues and r&b.”

Ticket prices were kept to $5.00 to make the event available to as many as possible and performers included Zulu Spear, John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt, the Oakland-based Vukani Mawethu Choir, Baba Olatunji and Mickey Hart, Tramaine Hawkins, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia, Gospel Hummingbirds, John Lee Hooker, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, John Santos, Kotoja, as well as Bay Area drum and dance troupes.

At the event, acknowledging the Bay Area’s role as a U.S. center of activism against apartheid, Mandela told the crowd: “You must remember that you are our blood brothers and sisters. You are our comrades in the struggle. Remember that we respect you, we admire you and, above all, we love you. ‘We are at a crucial historical juncture,” he told a cheering crowd of 58,000 people, ”We shall not turn back. Despite my 71 years, at the end of this visit I feel like a young man of 35. I feel like an old battery that has been recharged. And if I feel so young, it is the people of the United States of America that are responsible for this.”

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert

OUR BOYS STEEL ORCHESTRA
OPENING INVOCATION AND MASSED DRUM PROCESSION FEATURING: BABA OLATUNJI / MICKEY HART / LADZEKPO BROTHERS / MANDELEO INSTITUTE / JONI HAASTRUP / JOSE LORENZO WITH BATUCAJE I MICHAEL PLUZNICK / MOTHERSTONE / HINTIL KUU KA POMO CHILDREN DANCERS / PLUS BAY AREA DRUM AND DANCE TROUPES / WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JERRY GARCIA AND BOB WEIR
TRAMAINE HAWKINS
THE CAST OF SARAFINA
GOSPEL HUMMINGBIRDS
JOHN LEE HOOKER WITH BONNIE RAITT
BAY AREA JAZZ ALL-STARS WITH: FAVE CAROL / JOHN HANDY / BOBBY HUTCHERSON / ED KELLY/ TROY LAMPKIN / PHAROAH SANDERS / E.W. WAINWRIGHT
OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
MACHETE ENSEMBLE FEATURING: DAVID BELOVE / JOHN CALLOWAY / BILL ORTIZ / JOHN SANTOS / WAYNE WALLACE
BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
ZULU SPEAR
KOTOJA
VUKANI MAWETHU
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MASS CHOIR

Audio: Bill Graham at the Press conference for the Nelson Mandela event

Bill’s 89th Birthday Bash with Los Lobos

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Tickets on sale Friday, October 25, 2019 at 10am

WSL Radio’s Sirott and Murciano Interview David Graham

Find Yourself in Find Yourself in the Group Photo 2026 Bill’s Bash

Bluecoat Reunion Nov 1 2025

Bill Graham Tribute Night 2017

8th Annual SF Giants Bill Graham Tribute

Rock & roll at Holocaust Museum? Life of legendary concert promoter Bill Graham makes it happen

Info for Grant Seekers

Events & News

Photo Credits

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Tickets on sale Friday, October 25, 2019 at 10am

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Info for Grant Seekers

Events & News

Photo Credits

Amnesty International Human Rights Now! 1988

In Concert Against AIDS 1989

Earthquake Relief Benefit 1989

Nelson Mandela for a Free South Africa 1990

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert