Woodstock Guitar Gods Create Psychedelic Sanctuary

In August, 1969, the Woodstock New music and Art residential painting Reasonable was held at Max Yasgur's farm in White Lake, NY. The celebration was billed as "An Aquarian Exposition - A few Times of Peace and Audio."

The first day with the competition was committed to folk. Richie Havens opened having a plea for "Freedom," showcasing his propulsive acoustic strumming. Ravi Shankar induced the audience into a meditative, trance like condition with a display screen of Sitar virtuosity.

Day two was populated with rock superstars with the psychedelic period. Santana's featuring, "Soul Sacrifice," was underpinned by Mike Shrieve's tribal drum solo. Mountain drove a "Southbound Teach," performed by Leslie West, a excess fat man by using a fats guitar tone.

Creedence Clearwater Revival shipped "Born about the Bayou," the swamp rock classic conceived by John Fogerty, a tasteful player who wrote unforgettable riffs and crafted understated, melodic leads. Pete Townshend and also the Who started that has a recreation of the Rock Opera "Tommy," and ended with destruction during the anthem "My Technology."

The third working day was delayed thanks to thunderstorms. Resuming the display which has a flash of British lightning, Alvin Lee of Ten Years After declared "I'm Heading Home," by helicopter. Johnny Winter season spun J.B. Lenoir's "Mama, Speak to the Daughter" right into a Texas twister.

Crosby, Stills & Nash harmonized within the ode to Judy Collins, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," as Stephen Stills painted an Oriental backdrop in a modal tuning. Paul Butterfield captained a ship lost at sea on "Drifting Blues," with to start with mate Michael Bloomfield contributing a blistering six string solo.

Closing the competition with his revolutionary instrumental version of "The Star Spangled Banner," Jimi Hendrix transformed the national anthem from a celebration of war right into a celebration of peace.

Woodstock was the exclamation point that punctuated the end of your sixties. Against the backdrop from the war raging in Vietnam, the world's greatest guitar players provided refuge to half a million hippies seeking shelter from your storm.