CBGB Founder Hilly Kristal Dies of Lung Cancer

On Tuesday August 28th, Hilly Kristal, founder of the famed CBGB club in the Bowery neighborhood of Manhattan, tragically died of lung cancer at the age of 75. Originally born in New York City in 1932, Hilly grew up in Hightstown, NJ and attended the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia before managing the Greenwich Village jazz club The Village Vanguard throughout the 50s and 60s. In 1970, Kristal opened his own venture Hilly's On The Bowery, which later became the country, bluegrass and blues venue we all know as CBGB. Although the seminal punk rock club responsible for breaking Blondie, Television, Patti Smith, Ramones, Talking Heads, and New York Dolls, was forced to close in October 2006 due to increasing rent, Kristal saw his CBGB merchandise range live on and had hopes of relocating the club to Las Vegas.

A private memorial service is planned. A public one to be held at a later date. Contributions in his name may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Hilly Kristal Foundation For Musicians And Artists at 168 Second Avenue, PMB 207, New York, NY 10003.