We’ve all seen Michael Wadleigh’s Woodstock, the Academy Award-winning 1970 documentary about the Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
Deep Cuts: The Woodstock You’ve Never Heard
Deep Cuts: God Songs
You don’t have to look to gospel for songs with “God” in the title. I’m not a religious guy, and I have 9 hours of God songs just in my digital playlist […]
Deep Cuts: Road Songs
The road trip is an American institution. Nothing expresses the size and variety of these United States like crossing them on the highway: deserts, mountains, forests, plains, swamps, cities, Wal-Marts — you […]
Deep Cuts: San Francisco Songs
I’m in San Francisco this week, which I must confess isn’t one of my favorite cities. I’m sorry, I know people adore this place and I’ve had some great times here, but […]
The (Kind Of) Complete Woodstock: Country Joe McDonald
Northern California’s own Country Joe McDonald is the only Woodstock musician to perform two complete distinct sets. Like Richie Havens and John Sebastian, McDonald was in the wrong place at the wrong […]
The (Kind Of) Complete Woodstock: Melanie Safka
The time was nearing eleven p.m. when twenty-two year old Melanie Safka, or Melanie, took the Woodstock stage. A label mate of Bert Sommer’s over at Buddah, she was enjoying a little […]
The (Kind Of) Complete Woodstock: The Rather Magnificent Mr. Bert Sommer
Friday August 15, 1969, Bethel, New York. Artie Kornfeld checks his watch, ten minutes to five o’clock. A crowd of three hundred thousand kids has congregated in a rented dairy pasture for […]
The (Kind Of) Complete Woodstock: Sweetwater
Traffic was the bane of Sweetwater’s existence. Scheduled to open Woodstock, the band lost that slot to Richie Havens due to the traffic jams leading to the site. Four months later lead […]
The (Kind Of) Complete Woodstock: Richie Havens
Twenty-eight year old Richie Havens had twelve years under his professional belt when he was shoved onto the Woodstock stage. The date was Friday, August 15, 1969, opening day, and traffic already […]
81. You Know That The Hypnotized Never Lie
“How was your walk, Dad?” “Good. I went along the river.” “What did you listen to?” “Woodstock.” “Is that good?” “Some of the performances are great, others not so much. Mostly for […]
Why It Matters 