Hilly Kristal

Infobox Person
name = Hilly Kristal

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caption = Hilly Kristal in August 2005.
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birth_date = birth date|1931|9|23|mf=y
birth_place = New York City
death_date = death date and age|2007|8|28|1931|9|23|mf=y
death_place = New York City
death_cause = lung cancer
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known_for = Owner of CBGB nightclub
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Hilly Kristal ( September 23 1931 – August 28 2007) was an American club owner and musician who was the owner of the iconic New York City club, CBGB, which opened in 1973 and closed in 2006 over a rent dispute. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Punk club founder Hilly Kristal dies. |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22332667-5001028,00.html |quote=Hilly Kristal, the founder of New York punk rock club CBGB, which helped make the Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads stars, has died at age 75. |publisher=Daily Telegraph |date=August 31, 2007 |accessdate=2007-09-01 ]

The club featured many famous musicians over the years and remained very popular until its closing. For a short while after the closing, Kristal considered moving the club to Las Vegas. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Stars return in CBGB's last shows. |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6045796.stm |quote=Debbie Harry and Patti Smith are among the artists returning to perform at legendary New York music club CBGB's, ahead of its closure after 33 years. Harry's band Blondie, Smith and acts including The Ramones and Talking Heads found fame after performing at the club which helped launch US punk music. |publisher=BBC |date=12 October, 2006 |accessdate=2007-08-21 ]

Kristal was born in New York, New York in 1931 , but his family moved to Hightstown, New Jersey when he was an infant. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Hilly Kristal 1931-2007 |url=http://www.nme.com/news/nme/30773 |quote=Hilly Kristal, founder of legendary punk venue CBGB has died at the age of 75. Born in New Jersey in 1932, Kristal moved across the Hudson River to New York City at age 18 where he worked as a singer, performing at venues around Manhattan including Radio City Music Hall. |publisher=NME |date=August 29, 2007 |accessdate=2007-08-21 ] cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=CBGB Founder Hilly Kristal Dies At 75 |url= http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003632740 |quote=Kristal was born in Manhattan in 1931 but his family relocated to Hightstown, New Jersey, when he was an infant. Kristal studied music from a young age and eventually attended the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. He then moved to New York, spending the '50s and '60s performing with a variety of music acts, and later became the manager of legendary jazz club the Village Vanguard. Kristal also spent a period of time in the Marines. |publisher=Billboard |date= |accessdate=2007-09-01 ] He studied music from a young age and eventually attended the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. Kristal also spent a period of time in the Marines.

He moved back to New York City, where he worked as a singer, appearing on stage in the men's choral group at Radio City Music Hall. He later became the manager of the Village Vanguard, a jazz club in Greenwich Village, where he booked Miles Davis and other musicians.

He married in 1951 and had two children: Lisa Kristal Burgman and Mark Dana Kristal.

In 1968 he co-founded the Schaefer Music Festival with concert promoter Ron Delsener; the festival took place every year until 1976 in NYC's Central Park and featured superstars from all music genres like The Who, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, Bob Marley, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle, Ike & Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac, The Allman Brothers, Kris Kristofferson, Curtis Mayfield, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and The Doors, amongst many other bands.

In 1970 Kristal opened a bar in the Bowery section of New York called "Hilly's on the Bowery", which closed within a couple of years. Then, in December 1973, he created "CBGB and OMFUG", an abbreviation of the kinds of music he intended to feature there: "Country, BlueGrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers". The club became known as the starting point for the careers of such punk rock and New Wave acts as The Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Television, and Blondie.

Kristal died on August 28, 2007 from complications of lung cancer, aged 75. cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Hilly Kristal, CBGB Founder, Dies at 75 |url= |quote=Hilly Kristal, who founded CBGB, the Bowery bar that became the cradle of punk and art-rock in New York in the 1970s and served as the inspiration for musician-friendly rock dives throughout the world, died in Manhattan on Tuesday. His son, Mark Dana Kristal, told The Associated Press that the cause was complications from lung cancer. Besides his son, Mr. Kristal is survived by a daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, and two grandchildren. |publisher=New York Times |date=August 29, 2007 |accessdate=2007-08-29 ]

ee also

*CBGB's

References

External links

*National Public Radio|14033127
*imdb name|0961234|Hilly Kristal
*BillboardDB|1003632740
* [http://www.stereosociety.com/hillykristal.html Hilly Kristal at the Stereo Society]
* [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/kristal/2630018 Hilly Kristal - Obituary]
* [http://swindlemagazine.com/issueicons/hilly-kristal/ SWINDLE Magazine Interview]