Woodstock triple album released 53 years ago on May 11, 1970

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was an event that is remembered through the ages as an iconic moment in the culture of the 1960s. Held August 15-19, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, the “Aquarian Experience: 3 Days of Peace and Music,” while considered a success, did have its share of setbacks but is remembered as a peaceful celebration. The event is forever commemorated in a live three-album collection Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More which was released on May 11, 1970

Commonly referred to as Woodstock, the event began as an investment opportunity for four men, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld, and Michael Lang. When the original location bowed out as the host for the concert, dairy farmer Max Yasgur offered to rent a portion of his land. Organizers expected about 50,000 people to attend, but over 100,000 had arrived two days before the event, and by the day of the event, about half a million people were on sight.

Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More was certified gold within two weeks of its release in the US and 2x Platinum by 1993. While touted as a live album, several tracks were truncated performances, and some overdubs were recorded after the event. Two tracks are included on the album that were recorded at the festival. 

The cover image for the album features a couple cozily wrapped in a blanket with a crowd of people in the background. Burk Uzzle took this image for the Magnum agency, and Life Magazine identified them as Bobbi Kelly and Nick Ercoline. The couple would marry and raise their family just 40 miles from the event site. The album was encased in a triple fold sleeve that featured a 3-panel photo taken from the stage by Jim Marshall, which featured the massive crowd. 

" “…You’ve proven something to the world…the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids, and I call you kids because I have children who are older than you are, a half a million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music and God bless you for it!”"

Max Yasgur

Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More

• “I Had A Dream” - John B. Sebastian
• “Going Up the Country” - Canned Heat
• “Freedom” - Richie Havens
• “Rock & Soul Music” - Country Joe & The Fish
• “Coming Into Los Angeles” - Arlo Guthrie
• “At the Hop” - Sha Na Na
• “The "Fish" Cheer / I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag” - Country Joe MacDonald
• “Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man” (feat. Jeffrey Shurtleff) - Joan Baez
• “Joe Hill” - Joan Baez
• “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” - Crosby, Stills & Nash
• “Sea of Madness” - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• “Wooden Ships” - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• “We're Not Gonna Take It” (from Tommy) - The Who
• “With a Little Help From My Friends” - Joe Cocker
• “Soul Sacrifice” - Santana
• “I'm Going Home” - Ten Years After
• “Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane
• “Medley: Dance to the Music / Music Lover / I Want To Take You Higher” - Sly & The Family Stone
• “Rainbows All Over Your Blues” - John B. Sebastian
• “Love March” - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
• “Star Spangled Banner / Purple Haze / Instrumental Solo” - Jimi Hendrix

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