Philadelphia’s music and entertainment scene owes much of its global prominence to legendary concert promoter and Broadway producer Larry Magid, HON ’12. Recently, The Philadelphia Citizen honored the Philadelphia native with the Edward G. Rendell Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his immeasurable impact on the city, its culture and its people. 

“Larry Magid is a true Philadelphia icon,” said Temple University President John Fry, who presented the award to Magid. “His career and contributions have influenced the trajectory of our city. His legacy will shape the future for young people across Philadelphia for generations.” 

In this video, Larry Magid looks back on his career and accomplishments, why Temple means so much to him and why it’s so important to him to give back to his community.

 
Magid got his start in live entertainment by booking bands and acts for local venues as a Temple student in the late 60s. He has since produced and promoted over 18,000 performances, including groundbreaking benefit concerts such as Live Aid in 1985 and 2005’s Live 8, two of the world’s largest and most storied music events. 

In 1968, Magid opened the Electric Factory, a concert hall that would become emblematic of Philadelphia’s counterculture music scene and position Magid as the architect of a new burgeoning industry. Through his subsequent co-founding of Electric Factory Concerts, Magid brought world-renowned acts to the city and helped establish Philadelphia as a hub for live music.  

Magid’s influence extends far beyond Philadelphia. He has been involved with over two dozen Broadway shows and worked on national and international tours for notable performers like Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, Robin Williams and Earth, Wind & Fire. He has launched and/or promoted the careers of some of the most well-known musical artists, including Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and Temple alumni Daryl Hall and John Oates. Today, he continues to revolutionize the live entertainment business as head of Larry Magid Entertainment.  

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Magid has been a generous philanthropist and a loyal supporter of his alma mater for decades. His charitable contributions to the university include the establishment of the Alexander Magid and Leon Fisher scholarships to Temple’s Klein College of Media and Communication, named in honor of his father and a broadcaster who gave him his start in the industry, respectively. In recognition of his enduring connection to Temple, Magid received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the university’s 125th Commencement ceremony in 2012. 

In 2017 and 2018, Magid and his wife Mickey made transformational gifts to establish new scholarships for deserving Temple students enrolled at the Boyer College of Music and Dance; Klein College of Media and Communication; the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts; and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. The scholarships honor some of the celebrated entertainers with whom Magid has worked, including Bruce Springsteen, Billy Crystal and Miles Davis. 

“Larry Magid’s achievements in the entertainment industry are a testament to his vision, work ethic and passion for the arts,” said Fry. “But it is his commitment to Philadelphia and the countless students whose lives he has touched that truly sets him apart. He is a model of what it means to give back to one’s community.” 

—Kim Fischer