David Edward Byrd Art
American, 1941-2025
David Edward Byrd (April 4, 1941 – February 3, 2025) was an American graphic artist, designer, illustrator, and painter. Many of his designs are considered to have helped to define the look of rock and roll music. He was best known for his classic Rock and Roll and Broadway poster designs.
After showing his portfolio to Bill Graham he signed on as the exclusive poster and program designer, beginning with a poster for the upcoming Traffic event. In the period 1968 to 1973, he and Fantasy Unlimited created posters for Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shankar, Traffic, and Bill Graham favorite the Grateful Dead. The poster that Byrd created for Bill Graham's Fillmore East, for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1968, was voted #8 in the Top 25 Rock Posters of all time by Billboard Magazine.
Byrd created the poster for The Rolling Stones 1969 American Tour, which culminated in Altamont concert in Northern California. In 1969 he also met with Jimi Hendrix to create the art for Hendrix's 1969 American concert tour. Jimi liked that art so much that he used it for Jimi's press release that year. When the four members of the rock band KISS released individual solo albums in 1978, Byrd was hired to create an individual poster for each album, designed in such a way so they all could be hung together as a mural.
He worked with The Who for their rock opera Tommy, designing the poster for the band's 1971 performance at the Metropolitan Opera House. Byrd did the movie poster for the 1975 adaptation of Nathanael West's The Day of the Locust starring Donald Sutherland and Karen Black. He illustrated the cover of the 1974 album Sally Can't Dance by Lou Reed, and the 2016 album Lou Reed - The RCA and Arista Collection
In 1981, Byrd came to Los Angeles to work as the Art Director for the Fair Warning Tour for Van Halen. After that he created many poster creations in and around Los Angeles.to
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Artist: David Edward Byrd
Original 1971 Fillmore East Art program cover pencil drawing Rock and Roll
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
For Rock and Roll art collectors this is one incredible work of art. It is the original 1971 drawing for Bill Graham's Fillmore East program cover art created by Rock and Roll and Broadway superstar artist David Byrd. framed size 22x17". I have included in this listing an image of an actual program cover for reference purposes, it is not part of the sale.
David Byrd created some of the most memorable Classic Theatre and Rock and Roll images from the 1960s and 70s. This is the first time that this rare original one of a kind drawing has been available for sale since it was first created over 40 years ago. This is the actual drawing that was presented for approval of the final artwork. David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters, the art for Jimi Hendrix’s first Fillmore East appearance, The Rolling Stones 1969 World Tour art, The Who’s Performance of Tommy at the New York Metropolitan Opera House and The Fillmore, and The Grateful Dead Swell Dance Concert to name only a few. He also created the poster art for the original location of the 1969 Woodstock music festival . His memorable images were also used for classic Broadway shows like Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. These museum quality drawings are rarely made available for sale, they are not only wonderful rare works of art, but are truly historically important works in the field of Theatre and Rock and Roll collecting. It has been framed with archival double matting.
David Byrd's poster art is in many museum collections, including : The Louvre, in Paris, Victoria & Albert in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
We have included an image featuring some of the memorable art David Byrd has created for the Rock and Roll industry and classic Broadway shows. A large coffee table book is in the final edit and getting ready to go to press of the art of David Byrd titled "Poster Child...
Category
1970s Contemporary David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
"Jesus Christ Superstar" Original 1971 drawing on Vellum New York Broadway
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This work is as much of a collectors item as it is a fine work of art. it is the original 1971 concept drawing with detailed notations for Jesus Christ Superstar...
Category
1970s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
"Billie Holiday and her dog Mister" Blues 1972 original
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This drawing of Billie Holiday with her beloved dog Mister is an original concept drawing created 53 years ago in 1972 by the legendary Rock and Roll and Broadway art...
Category
1970s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
Original THE DAY OF THE LOCUST 1975 vintage art deco movie poster
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Spokane, WA
Original 1975 "The Day of the Locust" Vintage Movie Poster - Linen Backed - Art by David Edward Byrd. Very fine condition with original theater issued fold marks laid down.
The Da...
Category
1970s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Offset
Rolling Stones original 1969 Naked Lady drawing from the Concert tour Poster
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
A new coffee table book has just been released titled "Poster Child" The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd. This original drawing is featured on page 104 of the...
Category
1960s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
Fillmore East 1968 Traffic, Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly original artwork
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This is the original character study art for the very first Fillmore East concert Poster by David Edward Byrd in 1968, it is featured on page 74 of the new coffee table book "Poster Child, The Psychedelic Art and Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd". The poster was for a concert at the Fillmore East featuring, Traffic, Blue Cheer and Buttery. An image of the finished poster is shown in this listing just for reference to the figures. David Edward Byrd created some of the most important and memorable Classic Theatre and Rock and Roll images from the 1960s and 70s. David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters, the art for Jimi Hendrix’s first Fillmore East appearance, The Rolling Stones 1969 World Tour art, The Who’s Performance of Tommy at the New York Metropolitan Opera House and The Fillmore, and The Grateful Dead Swell Dance Concert to name only a few. He also created the poster art for the original location of the 1969 Woodstock music festival . His memorable images were also used for classic Broadway shows like Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. A new coffee table book titled "Poster Child, The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd" features his classic Rock and Roll art and Broadway art...
Category
1960s American Realist David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Ink, Watercolor, Vellum, Pencil
"Jimi Hendrix original Color Pencil sketch" Fillmore East the very first version
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
For the month of December we are offering very special end of year pricing of at least a 20% discount on all of the paintings at the gallery. A few are discounted as much as 50%. If you see a painting that you are interested in purchasing by any of our artists, message us which painting and we will let you know what the special discounted price is for the month of December.
A new coffee table book has just been released titled "Poster Child" The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd. This original drawing is featured on page 61 of the book.
David Byrd created some of the most memorable Classic Theatre and Rock and Roll images from the 1960s and 70s. David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters, the art for Jimi Hendrix’s first Fillmore East appearance, The Rolling Stones 1969 World Tour art, The Who’s Performance of Tommy at the New York Metropolitan Opera House and The Fillmore, and The Grateful Dead Swell Dance Concert to name only a few. He also created the poster art for the original location of the 1969 Woodstock music festival . His memorable images were also used for classic Broadway shows like Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. These museum quality drawings are rarely made available for sale, they are not only wonderful rare works of art, but are truly historically important works in the field of Theatre and Rock and Roll collecting. It has been framed with archival double matting.
David Byrd's poster art is in many museum collections, including : The Louvre, in Paris, Victoria & Albert in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
Featured in this listing is the Original Color pencil Sketch created in 2006 by David Byrd prior to working on the finished painting which we also have available for sale. This drawing created in 2006 is based on David's very first original 1968 drawing for Hendrix's very first Fillmore East concert. It only featured Hendrix, and Bill Graham asked David if he could add the other two members of The Experience, which became the famous Fillmore East orange poster that featured all three members of the Experience. I included and image in this listing of the original pencil drawing from 1968 where you can see Bill requesting all three members to be included in the poster art. In this color rendering, David Byrd indicates two possible color choices for the poster in this sketch by listing the color numbers. He shows one half with one color combination and the other half with a different color combination. That was so that Bill Graham could choose which colors he preferred if the original 1968 poster art was to use this image. A great original color drawing that David Byrd created to show the colors of the first version of the 1968 Hendrix poster...
Category
Early 2000s Pop Art David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Color Pencil, Vellum
Jimi Hendrix 1969 original vintage art U.S. Tour Moon Maidens
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This is the Original 1969 drawing of the two nude figures that appear on the Jimi Hendrix Spring 1969 concert poster. It is as much of a collectors item as it is a fine work of art. This was given to Hendrix to approve the art for the final poster. You can see images of the full 1969 poster in this listing. David Byrd referred to these women as "Moon Maidens" The art is Pencil on iridescent tracing paper, Matted with it's original "Electric Purple" matt, as done by David Byrd. The original drawing of this full image was used for the 1969 Spring U.S concert tour and it was also used as the image for Hendrix's press kit in 1969 which was given to concert promotors to advertise the concert. David met with Jimi to approve his original drawing. The art measures 7 x 8", and the matted and framed art measures approx. 15x16".
David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters...
Category
1960s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
The WHO original 1970 TOMMY concept drawing
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This is the original rare concept drawing created 54 years ago in 1970 by the legendary artist David Edward Byrd. It was presented to Bill Graham and the Rock group "The Who" showing...
Category
1970s Art Deco David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
Haughwout building at Broadway and Broome, original pencil on vellum
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
The drawings and paintings of David Edward Byrd are legendary. If you were producing a Broadway play or top Rock and Roll concert in the 1970's, David Byrd was the artist you wanted to create the imagery. He created for Broadway the classic art for, Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. For the Rock and Roll industry David created all of the iconic artwork for the Fillmore East including their classic and highly valued posters and programs. The Who's "Tommy" art was David's as was The Rolling Stones 1969 World tour artwork, and the 1969 Jimi Hendrix American concert tour, along with the very first version of the art for the original 1969 Woodstock Music Festival poster...
Category
1970s Realist David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
Original 1975 NYC Manhattan coloring book drawing, George Washington Bridge
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This is the actual drawing that was used for the 1975 "Manhattan Coloring Book"
David Edward Byrd created some of the most memorable Classic Theatre and Rock and Roll images from the 1960s and 70s. David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters, the art for Jimi Hendrix’s first Fillmore East appearance, The Rolling Stones 1969 World Tour art, The Who’s Performance of Tommy at the New York Metropolitan Opera House and The Fillmore, and The Grateful Dead Swell Dance Concert to name only a few where all created by David Edward Byrd. He also created the poster art for the original location of the 1969 Woodstock music festival . His memorable images were also used for classic Broadway shows like Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. These museum quality drawings are rarely made available for sale, they are not only wonderful rare works of art, but are truly historically important works in the field of Theatre and Rock and Roll collecting. It has been framed with archival double matting.
David Byrd's poster art is in many museum collections, including : The Louvre, in Paris, Victoria & Albert in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
In 1975, The New York Times commissioned Superstar artist David Byrd to create the "Manhattan Coloring Book" It was to be a coloring book for adults featuring NYC landmark...
Category
1970s Realist David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
St Thomas Church 5th at 53rd, Original drawing from 1975 Manhattan Coloring Book
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
This is the actual drawing that was used for the 1975 "Manhattan Coloring Book"
If you were producing a Broadway play or top Rock and Roll concert in t...
Category
1970s Realist David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
McGraw-Hill Building West 42 Street, Pencil on Vellum,
By David Edward Byrd
Located in Southampton, NY
In 1975, The New York Times commissioned Superstar artist David Byrd to create the "Manhattan Coloring Book" It was to be a coloring book for adults (That they really weren't going to color in as the drawings were very detailed.) I have included a photo in this listing of the cover of the original 1975 coloring book just as a reference it is not included in the sale. The book was to be a collectors item and a tribute to the city of New York. It sold out rather quickly and the 1975 first edition did indeed become a collectors item. It featured the most important architectural structures in New York City. We are please to offer for sale one of the original 1975 drawings by Mr. Byrd that was used in that collectible book. This drawing is of the McGraw-Hill building on West 42Street..
If you were producing a Broadway play or top Rock and Roll concert in the 1970's, David Byrd was the artist you wanted to create the imagery. He created for Broadway the art for, Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. For the Rock and Roll industry David created all of the iconic artwork for the Fillmore East including their classic and highly valued posters and programs. The Who's "Tommy" art was David's as was The Rolling Stones 1969 World tour artwork, and the 1969 Jimi Hendrix American concert tour, the very first version of the art for the original 1969 Woodstock Music Festival poster...
Category
1970s David Edward Byrd Art
Materials
Vellum, Pencil
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David Edward Byrd art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic David Edward Byrd art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by David Edward Byrd in paper, pencil, vellum and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Art Deco style. Not every interior allows for large David Edward Byrd art, so small editions measuring 16 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Thelma Terrell, Wheeler Williams, and Peter Driben. David Edward Byrd art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,800 and tops out at $4,800, while the average work can sell for $3,150.









