Otis Redding & His Orchestra Poster
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Bill Graham discovered that Otis Redding was it, the ultimate musician to anyone in the business, so he flew to Macon, Georgia, and booked Redding for December at the Fillmore. Graham considered this concert, "... the best gig I ever put on in my whole life," and had his pick of any artist in the city to open. He chose the Grateful Dead, Johnny Talbot and Country Joe and the Fish on consecutive nights. The relative simplicity of Wilson's poster reflects Redding's draw.
The 1st printing poster was printed prior to the concert, but there is some variation in color throughout the run. It measures 14" x 22 1/2".
The 2nd printing poster has a Bill Graham, Wilson credit and ticket outlet strip printed in the same pink as the lettering.
The 3rd printing is on uncoated matte stock and has "W 2021" next to the Wes Wilson signature above the ticket outlet information. It was printed in 2021 by Wolfgang's in a 250 copy run. This reprint measures 14" x 22".
The 4th printing is on 80# coated matte stock and has "W 2022" in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2022 by Wolfgang's in a 100 copy run. This reprint measures 14" x 22".
When the Avalon Ballroom and Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium began to hold weekly dance concerts, Wilson was called upon to design the posters. He created psychedelic posters from February 1966 to May 1967, when disputes over money severed his connection with Graham. Wilson pioneered the psychedelic rock poster. Intended for a particular audience, "one that was tuned in to the psychedelic experience," his art, and especially the exaggerated freehand lettering, emerged from Wilson's own involvement with that experience and the psychedelic art of light shows.