At the beginning of 1969, Led Zeppelin had no albums and had played together for a mere three months. By the end of the year, they had released two albums, both of which stormed the top 10, with Led Zeppelin II topping the American charts for seven weeks. It all began for the band with a three-night gig in January, 1969, opening for Country Joe & the Fish at the Fillmore West.
Randy Tuten is the only poster artist whose work spans five decades of design for The Fillmore. The 23 year-old San Francisco native was hired by Bill Graham in January, 1969, and their mutual taste for traditional, readable design style led to a long-lasting work relationship. Although influenced by the compositions of "Fillmore Five" artists Mouse, Kelley and Griffin, Tuten avoided "... Heavy meaning in my posters." Tuten's style reflected his skill as a draftsman, and his designs evolved into an eclectic mix of graphic imagery, lettering and photographs.