On August 15, 1969, over 400,000 people gathered at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in upstate New York for three days of peace, love, and music that would forever be known simply as Woodstock. The festival organizers never envisioned that their event would draw over 400,000 people. They had anticipated at most 25,000-30,000 and as a result the facilities were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the number of people attending; hundreds of thousands found themselves in a struggle against bad weather, food shortages, and poor sanitation. As the number of attendees exploded and traffic on the New York highways heading to the festival continued to grow, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller threatened to call out the National Guard. Nevertheless, the event remained largely peaceful.
Ritchie Havens opened the first day of the event on Friday afternoon at 5pm. The first day was some what low key featuring a number of folk artists and solo acts. It was headlined by Havens, Melanie and Joan Baez. Baez, who was six months pregnant, closed the first day of the festival around 2:00 am.
The second day began around noon. Santana was the first big name act to take the stage around 2:00 pm. Their set would be highlighted by a stunning performance of Soul Sacrifice, in which Carlos Santana would show off his guitar mastery. Other day two performers included The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, who would play a 50 minute long version of “Turn on your Love Light.” The Jefferson Airplane would close out the second day schedule around 8:00 am the following day with Grace Slick prancing around the stage in a white jump suit belting out lyrics that would come to define a generation, “When the truth is found to be lies and all the joy within you dies….”
Day three was threatened by more rain but in some ways is the most memorable. Joe Cocker opened the last day followed by Country Joe MacDonald and the Fish, Ten Years After, the Band and Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Jimi Hendrix would close out the festival with his memorable rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
Woodstock would go down as a seminal event in music history but for all the big name acts that attended a number of prominent bands were invited but declined the invitation. The Rolling Stones would pass because Mick Jagger was making a film in Australia and Keith Richards girlfriend Anita Pallenberg had just given birth. The Doors were invited but chose not to attend believing the event would be a cheap knock off of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Bob Dylan demurred because he had signed on to do the Isle of Wight festival later in the month. Joni Mitchell would pass on the event on the advice of her manager because of a previously scheduled appearance on the Dick Cavett show. She would later compose the song “Woodstock” inspired by what she saw on television.
“Well, I came upon a child of God
He was walking along the road
And I asked him, “Tell me, where are you going?”
And this he told me
Said, “I’m going down to Yasgur’s Farm
Gonna join in a rock ‘n’ roll band
Got to get back to the land
Set my soul free”
Joni Mitchell
Tragedy and Farce 