Woodstock : Defining a Generation
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly called Woodstock, was an American music and art celebration that took place from August 15 ? 18, 1969. It was billed as “3 Days of Peace and Music,” and was a defining event for the young generation of Americans of the time.
The 1960s was an impactful era in American history. Many of the events that took place during those controversial 10 years profoundly affect modern American society today. The war in Vietnam was raging in the 60s, and the popular president, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. These are just two of the events that defined the decade. There were many more historic events during that era that deeply divided the country. Woodstock was designed to show how the young generation can coexist with the older generation of Americans by living in harmony with one another.
Although the event did not occur in the town of Woodstock, New York, the city has become synonymous with the celebration. More than 400,000 young people gathered at the dairy farm in the small town of White Lake, New York to witness music history in the making. Rolling Stone Magazine listed the event as one of “the 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock ?n’ Roll.” Some of the biggest names in rock history performed at the three-day event, including The Who, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and the late, Jimi Hendrix. In all, 32 acts performed at the outdoor festival, and it was free of charge to all.
Two soundtracks were released in the following two years. Both albums featured the live performances with introductions. The documentary film “Woodstock” was released in 1970, and received an Oscar in the Academy Award for Feature Documentary category. It was also deemed a Culturally Significant, by the United States, Library of Congress.
