A remarkable event took place at Max Yasgur’s Upstate New York farm back in 1969. That was the Woodstock music and art fair, which is considered as one of the most historical live music festivals. Fifty years later and we can’t help but revisit the event to look back on some of the most memorable moments that came out of it.
Janis Joplin - Ball and Chain
Woodstock had heavily advertised Janis Joplin as a headliner, and she performed well into early Sunday morning. She belted out Ball and Chain as her encore song, letting loose as she captivated the audience with an incredible performance.
The Who band member Pete Townshend had often been quoted saying that Joplin gave a solid performance but the alcohol and heroine prevented her from delivering her best. Joplin got to Woodstock as a solo act, but she had previously been part of the psychedelic band Big Brother. Before the event, she had also performed at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.
Jimi Hendrix - The Star-Spangled Banner
Jimi Hendrix was meant to headline the festival, but the delays had him playing on the extended final day. The crowd had dwindled by then to just around 40K people, but Hendrix still made it count. Before reaching the venue, he was apparently overcome with anxiety when he heard that the crowd at the festival had grown to about 400K people because he didn’t particularly like playing for large audiences.
He chose to move the performance to Monday morning and closed Woodstock with what is still amongst the festival’s most iconic performances. Hendrix delivered a creative rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, and the recording of the four-minute performance is quite impressive up to this day.
Peace, Love And Flower Power
Woodstock '69 was a festival known for peace, love, and good music. The historic event attracted over 500K people from around the world who gathered together to celebrate their love for music. It was a non-violent and passive resistance movement known for its symbolism. This picture, with the flower in hand, represents the slogan pretty well.
There are heaps of photos out there that'll show you couples kissing, hugging, and living their best lives. The one above is no different. For all we know is that the two could've been long-time lovers or a pair that found love during the historic show.
Transport And Accommodation In One
With hundreds of thousands of people in attendance, the congestion at the Woodstock festival was unprecedented. Once people entered the borders of the dairy farm where the event was held, all pretenses vanished. It was a place to be real and connect with the outdoors.
Since Woodstock went on for three consecutive days, attendees needed a place to crash, but of course, the venue was no luxury hotel or a resort. There weren't any comfortable beds or rooms nearby, so a lot of people had to improvise. Take this guy, who is using his motorbike as a bed; that's what you call 'killing two birds with one stone.'
Groovy Is The Way To Go
With everything going on in the world and things you hear in the news every day, walking fearlessly into the woods may seem like a bad idea, especially if it was one with peculiar signs all over. However, Woodstock was an event for you to leave all your worries at home.
When those who made it to the concert saw such signs as 'gentle path highway' and 'groovy way,' which do you think they took? We're pretty sure it was the latter. After all, there's no fun in saying no to adventure, is there?
Melanie Safka - Beautiful People
Melanie Safka is an American singer who hadn't quite gotten a proper taste of fame when she performed at Woodstock in 1969. She was only 22 years old when she got the life-altering opportunity to perform at the historic event. Her time on stage was around 30 minutes, which is still quite impressive.
Some of the songs Safka performed were Close to It All, Beautiful People, and Mr. Tambourine Man. She was one of the three people and the only woman to go solo that day. It was the biggest audience of her life, and she did exceptionally well, which is why she is called "The First Lady of Woodstock," even today.
A Free Ride To New York City
The Woodstock music festival was held in Bethel, New York, which was a little over 100 miles away from New York City. Those traveling from out of state had to find the means to get to the venue, and when the concert was over, they had to find their way back.
Not everyone had their own vehicles, and therefore, many were looking for ways to get back to NYC. But you'd have to stand out from the crowd to get a free ride as there were thousands of other hitchhikers. Many were even willing to hitch rides in open trunks. Sounds fun, doesn't it?
Jerry Garcia - Turn On Your Love Light
Jerry Garcia was one of the founding members, lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Grateful Dead. Their fans, also known as 'Deadheads' were really looking forwards to their performance, but sadly, things didn't go according to plan.Grateful Dead was one of the 32 acts at Woodstock, but sadly, their performance on the day wasn't the best.
The scattered rains and flooded stage interfered with their instruments and caused multiple technical difficulties, leading to poor performance. Among the songs they performed were St. Stephen, Mama Tried, and a 38-minute-long version of Turn On Your Lovelight. Garcia posed for the above photo before their appearance.
Young Children
You'd think that hippies were the only ones who enjoyed the concert, but in reality, there were plenty of children accompanied by their parents as well. In fact, according to Time magazine, at least two births were reported during the festival.
What were the parents thinking, bringing the kids to such a wild place? Perhaps some parents wanted their little ones to get a taste of the free world at a young age, or maybe they just couldn't find a babysitter. Either way, this young girl seems to be enjoying her time, blowing soap bubbles.
Janis Joplin - Kozmic Blues
Janis Joplin had one of the most memorable performances of Woodstock '69. She was accompanied by the Kozmic Blues Band on stage where they played for an entire hour. The song list included Raise Your Hand, Summertime, and of course, Kozmic Blues.
To match her performance, Joplin fashioned a multi-colored tie-dyed outfit. As you can see, she's pouring herself a cup of wine to loosen up a little before her big stage moment. Performing in front of 500K+ people can definitely be nerve-racking so we hope that the wine did the trick. Sadly, Joplin passed away only a year later.
Fringing It Up
Fringe is one of those styles that has made many comebacks. In the '50s Fringe jackets started becoming trendy because of celebrities like Elvis Presley, and in the '60s the trend returned to its native American roots with more emphasis on the fringe at the bottom of the sleeves and hems, which was originally meant to protect the clothes from soaking the rain.
It was also religiously worn by fans after Jimi Hendrix's tastes. In fact, the late musician fashioned a white fringe jacket at Woodstock, and he was probably delighted to see others (like the woman in the photo above) wearing similar clothes.
Saved By The Tent
Not everyone who came to Woodstock had a contingency plan. However, there were a fraction of attendees who came ready with their camping gear. After all, they couldn't go three consecutive days without dozing off now, could they? Perhaps it was the families with children.
Either way, those who came prepared were lucky as they had some shelter when the rains poured down on this historic festival. As you can see, the majority of the populace at the event weren't so lucky. Nevertheless, not every day was as bad as the final one with the most rainfall.
High Up In The Clouds
Hippies and people from pretty much every background were welcome at the Woodstock festival as long as they enjoyed music and were willing to let loose for the weekend. But none of the attendees could have ever thought how much they had in common with each other.
With that said, you should know that drugs and excessive drinking were a significant part of the fun. Seeing as the event was crowded with hippies from around the country, there was an abundance of marijuana at the venue. It was one of the ways they were able to forget about the unpleasant events happening around them in the country.
A Fun Place For The Kiddos
Blowing soap bubbles and judging the adults' behavior aren't the only things children had to do to keep themselves entertained. The organizers of the event had probably anticipated children among the attendees which is why they went as far as to set up a children's playground at the event.
While their parents were living their best life, partying with strangers, the little ones were able to gather in the playground and dance, play, and have their fun. According to History, there was also a kitchen giving out free food and a tent to help people who didn't want to take part in consuming any drugs.
The View's Better From The Top
Given that there were half a million people present at the festival, the majority of them were not even close to seeing the performers in their acts. This photo displays the struggle some men went through to try and get a better glimpse of the stage with the artists.
They are taking a risk in climbing the 70-foot sound towers that weren't built to hold any additional weight. According to its production coordinator John Morris, the collapse of the tower could've killed hundreds of people. Luckily, it didn't. The photographer, Elliott Landy, believed this photo symbolized the '60s nature where people were trying to reach greater heights in life.
Young, Wild, And Free
Due to the lack of facilities at Woodstock, attendees were forced to get creative and improvise. From seeking shelter during the rain to finding a place to shower to creating make-shift toilets, people needed to find ways to get through three days of non-stop fun. And they wanted to make every experience memorable.
Since people came to live stress- and judgment-free for a couple of days, they managed to have more fun by doing things like building shelters with sticks and hay. This man is the perfect embodiment of the festival's spirit -- carefree, and high on life -- as he throws himself onto a large pile of hay.
Oh To Be Young And In Love
As the days ended with the sun setting, the cold breezes of the nights became tough to bear. It's not like they had fires or camping tents to keep them warm. Since it was a place of love, finding warms hugs and snuggles wasn't too hard.
As you can see, the couple in this photo are hugging and keeping each other warm as the darkness of the night was setting in. Perhaps they didn't know each other, but what else is Woodstock about if not making friendships, and maybe something even more?
Come Rain Or Shine
In addition to a jam-packed venue, limited access to food and water, and the lack of facilities, Woodstock attendees had to put up with bouts of rain. Even though the concert got off to a great sunny start, the monsoons quickly changed the mood.
People weren't ready to leave the party of their life because of the rain and thunderstorms, which is why they found shelter under whatever they could find. You can see a group of people sharing what looks like a large board to keep them dry until the rain gods decided to the thundershower.
Nick Ercoline and Bobbi
Nick Ercoline and Bobbi met in February 1969, and later that year, they went to the most iconic music festival together, completely unaware of the fact it's going to turn them into mini-celebrities. They were just resting in each other's arms, under a blanket, looking adorable in love, and Burk Uzzle captured the moment, which later made it to the coverages of Woodstock albums.
Ercoline admits that he had never hitchhiked before this event. But the lad was so smitten by Bobbi that he could not say no, and ultimately had the best time of his life! Thanks to an exciting and adventurous weekend, there were no regrets!
Judy and Jerry Griffin
This is a picture of rainwater soaked Judy and Jerry Griffin, who met here for the first time and promised each other a lifetime of togetherness. Apparently, they had a lot of fun at the Woodstock festival!
On her way to the festival, Judy's car broke down, and Jerry offered her help. Though it was their first ride together, it sure wasn't their last! The duo felt an instant connection and decided to attend the party in each other's company. It might sound unbelievable, but such carnivals are indeed a great place to build long term relationships - Judy and Jerry's fairy tale story is living proof!
A Head-Turning Outfit
We're not sure if you noticed this girl before, but she was in another photo with the man with an afro. It looks like she was a popular face among photographers as her blond hair and choice of clothing stood out from the crowd.
In addition to her knitted outfit, her choice to go braless may also have caused a few heads to turn. However, it wasn't a place of judgment, and seeing as there were crowds who were fully unclothed, she was probably one of the more sane and regular ones.
Can't Rain On My Parade
Even though Woodstock was initially meant to be a three-day event, it dragged on for an extra day. If you wonder why this happened, it's because of the heavy and inconsistent rain that put a strain on the flow of the concert from time to time.
Since it was held at a farm, the grounds got wet as the rain poured, and people were forced to deal with mud. Surely, the weather conditions weren't the best to enjoy an outdoor concert. But the attendees weren't going to let anything rain on their parade -- not even the actual rain itself.
A Unique Sunbed
The traffic was a disaster on the days of Woodstock. The vehicles were queuing up on the streets leading to the farm, and worst of all, they weren't moving. Some people decided to have some fun during the waiting time and play guitar and sing songs on the hood of their cars.
However, this girl thought it was best to clock in some extra sleep as she was only going to have very little to no sleep in the next three days. Since it was a dry day with the sun out, she decided to lie on the top of the car and sleep while soaking in the sun.
The Aftermath
After the historic event was all done and dusted, Max Yasgur's dairy farm was quite the sight. With half a million people stomping its grounds, calling the place a mess would be an understatement. The farmlands were muddy and had trash scattered all over. Somehow, a photographer caught this man in his lens when people fled and the grounds were almost empty.
By the looks on his face, this young man was upset that the music festival was over and wasn't ready to say goodbye. The concert promoters managed to clean and return the farm to Yasgur in its original state.
Sly & the Family Stone - I Want To Take You Higher
One of the high points at Woodstock was when Sly and the Family Stone performed I Want to Take You Higher. The funk-rock pioneers delivered an energetic soulful performance when they took to the stage on Saturday night going into Sunday.
The dance-ready jam got the crowd grooving, which was even more impressive because it was around 4 a.m in the morning. The band had also released their fourth album titled Stand just a couple of months before the festival. Everyday People was one of their other popular songs that came out of that album.
John Sebastian - Darling Be Home Soon
Musician John Sebastian is best known for founding the ‘60s rock band The Lovin’ Spoonful. Sebastian wasn’t even scheduled to perform at Woodstock and was just helping out backstage. Many claimed that he was under the influence when popular announcer/stage manager Chip Monck asked him to play a number.
Sebastian later said that he went to Woodstock just as an audience member. He explained that he didn’t turn up with guitars or a road manager and didn't expect to find himself on stage before the massive crowd. He joked that he only had a toothbrush and a change of clothes.
Jimi Hendrix - The Glitches
Hendrix was booked as a headliner for Woodstock, and he did indeed close the festival in a memorable way. However, his performance also had glitches, much like other artists who graced the event. In his case, the issues seemed to come from his collaborations with vocalist/guitarist Larry Lee.
Lee was supposedly out-of-tune, so he was erased from subsequent recordings of the set. It was the semi-improvised and edited Star-Spangled Banner performance by Hendrix that ultimately made it to the Woodstock film. Those who witnessed what happened on stage that Monday morning described the actual performance as subpar.
Ten Years After - I'm Going Home
British blues-rockers Ten Years After weren’t spared as they too faced several technical issues when they took to the stage. They actually had to restart their performance of Good Morning Little Schoolgirl a few times. Despite it all, their performance at Woodstock gave them widespread recognition.
It’s their performance of I’m Going Home with former band member Alvin Lee as the lead singer that stole the show. The band members aren’t about to go into retirement. In 2017, they released A Sting in the Tale, which is their thirteenth studio album.
Red, White, And Blue
The Woodstock festival took place at the height of the protest movements in America as many had fallen out of love with their country. Back in the day, wearing the American Flag or army jackets was considered a political statement.
Unlike carrying or waving a good old flag, this guy chose to wear it on his cropped, low-rise pants. Patriotism at its best! Somehow, there's another common flag that appeared during Woodstock, which looks very close to the country flag. It's the peace flag, which replaces the stars on the American flag with the peace symbol.
A Cool Candid Queen
Most of us weren't even born when the original Woodstock festival took place, but its attendees were lightyears ahead of time in terms of fashion choices. Simple jeans, beaded necklaces, and chunky accessories were the fashion imperatives of the '60s, as evident in this photo.
This attendee is rocking a tanktop and bootcut jeans, paired with a rustic belt with a matching armband, and we are totally digging the look. Plus, her bossy pose captured candidly in this photo speaks a thousand words about her personality. She looks like she's got great confidence, so what more could we have asked for?
Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From My Friends
Four months before his Woodstock appearance, Joe Cocker was able to release his first album. During the festival, he played the song With a Little Help From My Friends; closing his set with what has become an iconic performance. The song was actually a Beatles cover, and Paul McCartney credited him for making it a soul anthem.
After completing the performance, the skies let down a thunderstorm that drenched the venue for hours. Cocker hit the stage at around 2 p.m on Sunday, and he delivered an electrifying performance for one and a half hours.
Johnny Winter - Mean Town Blues
Blues legend Johnny Winter did a set starting from the midnight of Sunday, August 17th to Monday the 18th. Woodstock was meant to have been a three-day event, but it ended up going well into that Monday. Winter, alongside his brother Edgar, delivered memorable performances with songs including Mean Town Blues and Leland Mississippi.
In 2009, he released The Woodstock Experience; an album featuring the eight songs that performed during the festival. Winter’s last performance was at the 2014 Cahors Blues Festival. After which, he was found dead in his Zurich hotel room. Although the cause of his death wasn’t officially released, producer Paul Nelson said that he died from pneumonia combined with emphysema.
Joan Baez - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Joan Baez closed the festival’s first night, and her performance went well into the hours before dawn. Her folk songs were refreshing to hear amidst the line-up of rock ‘n’ roll performers, and she didn’t disappoint. Baez sang several songs including a rendition of Joe Hill’s classic hit Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
Baez often took an overtly political stance through her music because her husband had been imprisoned for draft resistance. Incredibly, she was also six months pregnant at the time, and she came up on stage only with a guitar to deliver great performance.
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Folk-rock group CSN had the pleasure of performing live for the second time as a band at Woodstock. Comprised of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, the trio took to the stage on Saturday, August 16, at around 3 a.m. They teamed up with Canadian singer Neil Young for two songs, but Young didn’t perform with the trio during their standout song Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.
Still wrote that particular song that showcased the band’s harmony and dexterity in their younger years. Fortunately, technology has made it possible to relive their performance through the videos from Woodstock available on YouTube.
Sweetwater - What's Wrong
Sweetwater was scheduled to open Woodstock, but the band members were stuck in the epic traffic leading to the venue, which delayed their performance. A private plane had to fly them to Woodstock so they still were the very first band to play at the event. Before they took the stage, solo singers entertained the crowd.
Singer Nansi Nevins sustained brain damage after a vehicle crash, and it halted the band’s progress. Three original members—Nevins, Del Zoppo, and Fred Herrera—reunited in 1994 for Woodstock ‘94. Three of their former band members—August Burns, Alan Malarowitz, and Albert Moore— have passed away.
Canned Heat - Going Up the Country
Canned Heat became a band in 1965. Their appearance at the 1967 Monterey Festival followed by Woodstock earned them worldwide fame. They already released their third album, Living the Blues, right before Woodstock. Their song Going Up the Country reached the top spot in 25 countries and became Woodstock’s unofficial theme song.
The band went on the Heroes of Woodstock tour in 2009 to celebrate the event’s 40th anniversary. Sadly, they lost their longtime bass guitarist, Larry Taylor, in 2019. He has been reportedly battling cancer for twelve years before his demise.
Richie Havens - Freedom
Richie Havens was relatively unknown back then and hadn’t even planned on playing Freedom. In fact, he improvised the song on stage when he had exhausted every song on his set. Havens performed on August 15 and had to extend his set upon the request of the event organizers. The reason was to buy other artists time to arrive at the venue.
He recalled playing for about three hours, but the setlist and recordings have him playing for an estimated 50 minutes. Regardless, much like other artists, he gained widespread fame after Woodstock. He even appeared at the Isle of Wright Festival just two weeks later.
Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love
Jefferson Airplane was known for its political stance and for being one of the pioneers of psychedelic rock. They performed songs off of their Surrealistic Pillow album, including White Rabbit and Somebody to Love. Those two songs are featured on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs.
They headlined the event on Sunday morning, delivering some much-needed music therapy. However, they were actually meant to go on stage on Saturday night. Band member Grace Slick later referred to their performance as morning maniac music. Immediately after Woodstock, they were invited along with other festival performers to The Dock Cavett Show, where they also played some of their songs.
Grateful Dead - Turn On Your Love Light
The rain-soaked event ran over the course of four days, and the weather created a stream of unending problems. The electricals were affected, posing a serious danger to performers on stage with the likelihood of an accident happening at any time. Amplifiers buzzed and microphones sent shocks to anyone who touched them.
All these elements affected the Grateful Dead’s performance, but they still managed to belt out five songs over the course of 90 minutes. The technical difficulties didn’t allow them to finish their performance of Turn On Your Love Light. Regardless, the recording of the rock band’s performance is still noteworthy to this day.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Creedence Clearwater Revival was a '60s/'70s rock band whose music is still being played on U.S. radio. The band was among the first who signed up to play at the festival. They were scheduled to perform on Saturday night, but the chaos that plagued the festival caused their set to be pushed back into the wee hours of Sunday.
Former band member John Fogerty said in a 2007 interview that half of the concertgoers were asleep when they got on stage. They chose not to have the recordings of their performances included in the 1970 Woodstock film; a decision that haunted them in the years that followed.
Santana - Soul Sacrifice
Carlos Santana is one of the world’s greatest guitarists, and he’s earned 10 Grammy Awards in recognition of his musical talents. Just when he had already recorded his first album, he took his music to the Woodstock stage alongside his band.
Their Latin-infused set is among the most memorable ones from the festival, with their performance of Soul Sacrifice being a standout. Celebrity news tabloids at that time claimed that Santana had taken a hallucinogenic drug before going on stage. He had supposedly thought that he had hours to go before the performance.
The Who - My Generation
The Who patiently waited for over 12 hours to take to the Woodstock stage for their scheduled performance on Saturday night. It wasn’t until 5 a.m. on Sunday morning that they were finally able to perform. The band wasn’t willing to compromise on their paycheck and infamously demanded upfront payment.
They finished their set just when the sun rose with a performance of their hit My Generation. Their performance also had its share of disruptions, with famous activist Abbie Hoffman grabbing the mic from Pete Townshend, which led to a subsequent scuffle on stage.
Country Joe and the Fish - I-feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag
Country Joe and the Fish became a band in 1965, and they released I-feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die in 1967 as their second album. The group went through several line-up changes. In fact, they regrouped last minute for their Woodstock performance. Band member Country “Joe” McDonald even had a solo performance at the festival, which ended up being another memorable moment.
They were also featured in the 1970 Woodstock film, and their widely popular cheer song received massive radio play at that time. The group disbanded shortly after and McDonald pursued a solo career.
Ravi Shankar - Evening Raga
Ravi Shankar was a Hindustani classical musician who made his debut in the U.S. with an appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. He was also one of the performers at the Woodstock Festival, and he didn’t hold back from sharing his dislike for the venue.
At that time, Shankar had also started distancing himself from drugs and the hippie movement. He explained that he was hurt whenever their (Hindu) music is associated with the use of illicit substances and other negative things. He added that to them, their songs are a part of their religion.
Arlo Guthrie - Coming Into Los Angeles
Arlo Guthrie has a famous father, composer/singer Woody Guthrie, but he made his own strides in the music industry. Guthrie’s songs were known for their storytelling style and messages protesting against social injustice. He performed Coming Into Los Angeles at Woodstock.
That particular song had been banned on the radio because it featured messages about drug smuggling from London. His memorable performance at the festival was included in Michael Wadleigh’s 1970 film Woodstock. He also infamously released an 18-minute blues song called Alice Restaurant Massacree talking about his arrest for illegal dumping.
Jefferson Airplane - The Glitches
Grace Slick introduced their band as “morning maniac music” because they were hungover and tired like most of the bands that played at Woodstock. If they had gone on stage six hours before they actually did, they might have delivered a more energetic performance.
During a 1992 interview with Jeff Tamarkin about their appearance at Woodstock, Slick and fellow band member Spencer Dryden didn’t have rosy memories to share about the event. However, Paul Katner recalled their appearance at the event with fondness. Sadly, Spencer Dryden already died in 2005 from health problems while Paul Kantner and Signe Anderson passed away in 2016. Marty Balin then followed in 2018.
Joe Cocker - The Glitches
Joe Cocker took to the stage with his band The Grease Band and given that they had just come back together last minute for the Woodstock performance, they weren’t at their best. They got on stage right after Jefferson Airplane, and the entire band except for Cocker were said to have been tripping from taking hallucinogenic prescription drugs.
Cocker delivered an overly-animated performance, and perhaps the audience who were in an equally dazed state didn’t quite mind the stretched out segments. Watching the recordings now, he does look like a crazed maniac in a tie-dye t-shirt doing what seems like the chicken dance.
Mountain - Southbound Train
Mountain was fortunate enough to end up with a slot at Woodstock, and it was the band’s fourth show since their inception. They went on stage during the festival’s second day performing heavy blues-rock songs. Band member Leslie West got the lyrics of Southbound Train wrong and concert-goers later described them as a total snooze.
They were forgiven because they were still at their infancy. Today, they are heavily credited for having a hand in developing the '70s heavy metal music scene. The band broke up in 1972, but they have reunited several times since 1973.
Grateful Dead - The Glitches
After forgiving the weather elements that Grateful Dead and other bands had to work through, you can’t really find another good reason explaining why they didn’t give their best during their entire set. Jerry Garcia, his biggest critic, told an interviewer after the Woodstock film came out that they played a bad set.
Garcia said that they were all smashed (after indulging in lots of alcohol and other substances), and their performance was at night. He added that they also had nearly a hundred people on stage with them, and they were all scared that it could give in at any moment.
The Band - The Weight
Bob Dylan invited the Hawks to record a few songs while he was in Woodstock recuperating from a motorcycle accident in 1966. They soon recorded several demos together and Rolling Stone dubbed them The Band in 1969. Woodstock marked their second live performance, but legal issues prevented their set from making it to the Woodstock film.
Their set was also amongst the best that weekend. They played classics like The Weight, Tears of Rage, and This Wheel’s on Fire. They recorded a follow-up self-titled album in Los Angeles that same year.
Sha Na Na - Teen Angel
Sha Na Na, a doo-wop group formed by Columbia University students, somehow earned themselves a slot at Woodstock. The group was known for their dance repertoire parodies of '50s hit songs. They opened for Jimi Hendrix, who was a good friend of the band, and got a 90-second appearance in the 1970 film about the festival.
They gained national recognition because they helped spark a ‘50s nostalgia and also inspired several North American groups. They also hosted a variety series dubbed Sha Na Na, which aired for four years from 1977.
Blood, Sweat & Tears - More and More
The Canadian-American jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears (BS&T) is noted for combining rock and brass band instrumentation. Having achieved critical acclaim since their formation in 1967, they earned a slot at Woodstock as headliners. They also ended up being victims of the power interruptions and rain delays, which pushed their performance to Monday morning.
They opened with More and More, which the festival’s camera crew managed to capture. However, their manager stopped the recording. Bennett Glotzer, their manager back then, argued that they hadn’t agreed or haven't been paid to appear in the Woodstock film. Regardless, they went on to achieve great success after the festival.
Love Has No Boundaries
If you wanted to find love at Woodstock, there was nothing that could stop you. It was a judgment-free zone, which embraced every race, religion, in a bid to end the systematic racism which had divided the country.
The photo above shows one such couple who seem to have found their happy place. A guy with an afro and a girl with lovely blond hair—the perfect snap to depict diversity at the festival. Can you imagine what a wonderful place the world would be if people had similar views today?
Mountain - Southbound Train
Despite being one of the newcomers in the music scene, the Woodstock crowd received Mountain enthusiastically. Unfortunately, their set didn’t make it to the festival’s film or live album. However, their performances of Southbound Train and Beside The Sea eventually made it to Woodstock’s Blu-ray and DVD release for their 40th Anniversary.
The band once again made a comeback on Live at Woodstock, the live album released in 2019 for the festival’s 50th anniversary. They released Masters of War, their 8th studio album, in 2007, but the band hasn’t had a live performance since 2010.
Tim Hardin - If I Were A Carpenter
Tim Hardin had a solo performance at Woodstock, where he performed If I Were A Carpenter. He also played a set backed up by a band. Unfortunately, none of his performances made it to the original Woodstock soundtrack album or the 1970 film.
However, his performance of the song made it to the 1994 Woodstock box set dubbed Three Days of Peace and Music. The particular song has been covered by numerous artists including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Joan Baez. In 1980, Hardin’s friend Ron Daniels found him dead at his Hollywood apartment from a heroin overdose.