Woodstock: (Almost) 50 Years Later

Even now — maybe especially now — Woodstock still has meaning. Its mix of music, culture and idealism resonates across the decades.

We recently visited the site of the festival, now home to the lovely Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, to explore the history and legacy of one of a generation’s defining moments.

Woodstock Part One: A Festival is Born

Woodstock Part Two: The Bands

Woodstock Part Three: Peter Max, The Beatles, Legacy

More on Woodstock

Country Joe & The Fish: Riding Waves of Electrical Sound: Riding Waves of Electrical Sound: Joe McDonald’s affair with Janis Joplin was brief but his contributions to pop have lasted a long time because of tunes such as “Thursday,” “Death Sound Blues,” and “Rock and Soul Music.”

Joe Cocker at his Cocker-iest: None other than Ray Charles gave this British blues man a shout out for absorbing his style – then making it his own. Our list of great Joe Cocker covers reminds us as to how he put a unique stamp on some modern classics.

Remember Melanie, the Folkie Who Sang About a “Brand New Key”: Regis Boff tour managed Genesis and The Who. But first he tour managed Melanie. Guess what that entailed?

Top 10 Songs by The Band (After 1969): The Band kept on making memorable music after Woodstock. The songs ranged widely: from aching heartache to personal diaries to greasy funk. If you’re unfamiliar, or haven’t listened in a while, it’s time to dive (back) in.

– CultureSonar Team

P.S. You can help support the museum (and CultureSonar) by doing some good-karma shopping at our store. Chances are you’ll like what you find there. Thanks!

Photo Credit: Cropped image of Woodstock Bird graphic art courtesy of the Museum at Bethel Woods.