Harvey Goldsmith

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Harvey Goldsmith CBE (born 4 March 1946) is an English promoter of live performing arts. He is best known for organizing major rock and charity concerts, including Live Aid in 1985 at Wembley Stadium and Live 8 in 2005, as well as television broadcasts for the Prince’s Trust and the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall.

Goldsmith was born to a Jewish family in Edgware, Middlesex. He began as a pharmacy student in Brighton, where he founded Club 66, a popular student music venue, and organized larger events at the Brighton Metropole. His first big break came with the Garden Party festivals at Crystal Palace Bowl (1971–1980). He later promoted a series of high-profile concerts, such as the Loftus Road Concert for Yes (1975) and the Concerts for Kampuchea (1979), which raised funds for charity.

In 1985 he helped organize Live Aid with Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, a 17-hour global broadcast that raised substantial funds for relief efforts. He continued to promote charity tours and major events, including instances for human rights causes and TV broadcasts, and he worked closely with The Prince’s Trust from the early 1980s.

Goldsmith has promoted many of the world’s leading artists and groups, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Cirque du Soleil, and more. His work helped expand the scale of live music promotions, moving many events into stadium venues and large arenas around the world.

For his services to entertainment, Goldsmith was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996. He has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to the music industry, including the Midem Personality of the Year Award and the Music Industry Trust’s Award. He continues to run Harvey Goldsmith Entertainments and related ventures, promoting major shows and festivals and supporting charitable causes through live entertainment.