 He sometimes worked as an assistant to rock promoter Bill Graham and met many of the main rock groups and personalities of the time, including members of the Rolling Stones, Creedence, Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and the Mamas and the Papas.He also worked in real estate for several years, an activity which brought him into contact with some of the fine art from the state of California which started a lifelong passion.At the time, there was little interest in such art, and he was able to procure many canvases from some of the best artists, unrecognized at the time, for a pittance.