This story recounts the mysterious circumstances surrounding the 1966 death of Charles Sullivan, a successful black concert promoter in San Francisco, and the alleged involvement of legendary promoter Bill Graham. Stevie Nicks recalled a 1966 incident at the Fillmore Auditorium where Graham threatened to kill a heckler if he ever saw him again, illustrating his reputation for using mob-like tactics. Graham, who was believed by some to have orchestrated Sullivan's murder to seize control of the Fillmore, rose from obscurity to become a multimillionaire and dominant force in the music industry.
Sullivan, known for his entrepreneurial spirit, built an empire in San Francisco's Fillmore District, transforming the Fillmore Auditorium into a cultural hub featuring the world’s best black performers. However, by the mid-1960s, the district declined, and Sullivan subleased the venue to a would-be promoter named Bill Graham, who began booking psychedelic rock acts. Sullivan maintained control of the Fillmore, but his sudden death in August 1966—ruled a homicide by the coroner, though police promoted an unlikely suicide theory—raised suspicions, especially given the missing money from his last concert and other inconsistencies at the crime scene.
Investigative efforts were stifled by the lead homicide detective, with hints that powerful interests were involved in Sullivan's death. Decades later, Graham's own words and eventual death in an eerie helicopter crash added to the aura of mystery surrounding both men’s fates.
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