The music venue in a cow pasture in New York state that defined a decade, Woodstock, turns 40 years old this weekend. Approximately a half million mostly young, college-age people attended the 32 act music festival. Greats like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, CCR entertained the rain and mud covered, ‘hazy’ revelers. The event lasted 3 days, even longer for those who had to figure out where they were.
Woodstock has been defined by Rolling Stone Magazine as 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll. Musicians who chose other venues that weekend kicked themselves for years over the decision not to attend Woodstock. (Bob Dylan and the Doors were 2 who come to mind who had other commitments.) No one had any idea that the event would turn in to what it did.
Woodstock is still the standard, even 40 years later. Many who played on that stage are dead–mainly because of too much hard living, booze and drugs. Joplin, Hendrix, Jerry Garcia are dead as well as others. Their music lives on. So many favorites–it took a while to select MY favorite. I did not go to Woodstock. I later saw Joplin before she died however.
[WARNING–its Joplin. Expletive alert. Turn your speakers down]
