On August 15th, 1969, a concert billed as an Aquarian Exposition began on Max Yasgur’s 600 acre dairy farm in Bethel, NY. Who knew that the concert, known to practically all as Woodstock, would draw over 500,000 people over a rainy weekend of thirty-two musical acts? Who knew that forty years later the concert would still be fresh in the minds of all who lived through the event and would be known as possibly the greatest event in Rock history? If you asked people then, except the confident group of promoters, an answer of “you gotta be kiddin’ me” or a long drawn out “no wayyyy mannn, you want a hit” would most likely be the common answer.
Yes, the year of 1969 was both a year of great success (the moon landing) and great unrest (The Vietnam Conflict) and music was accordingly at a turning point. Rock was becoming more experimental, or psychedelic as some would come to call it. The good old days of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and “I Want to Grow Up to Be a Politician” had turned into The Beatles singing that Happiness is a warm gun and Roger McGuinn singing about how he wished he could be an easy rider and let the sea carry him out of war and conflict. The times were certainly changing again and young teens were becoming angrier that their country continued to send men of their age to die in a hopeless war. In hindsight, I guess the turn out (or turn on) at Woodstock was not surprising. Teens hear about a concert that is going to promote a weekend of peace and love in hopeful support of a movement against the war. At the time would you say no? Whatever it may be, the Woodstock Music Festival was born and hundreds of thousands of people came to turn on, tune in, and drop out.
So, in celebration of the 40th of anniversary of Woodstock let us look at the only musical performer in history who ended up being plagued for his punctuality, Richie Havens. Well, it wasn’t really any other performer’s fault, except maybe Tim Hardin (who came by helicopter and would have opened the concert if not for being too stoned to get on stage. Technically, Sweetwater was supposed to open the show but they were experiencing band problems). You see traffic was so bad on 17B the highway that was used to get to White Lake, NY (and the same one that can be used to get to Binghamton University, my place of learning), that concertgoers decided eventually to abandon their cars on the highway and walk the rest of the way. Can you imagine those few cars on 17 going to visit their cousins in Vestal, NY. “Morris, we’re already late and they said that they are serving dinner at 6:00,” says agitated wife with a voice like Fran Drescher. Okay, I am digressing stupidly.
The point is that at 5:07 pm Eastern Daylight Time, Richie Havens walked on stage and performed “High Flyin’ Bird,” officially opening the festival. Three hours later, Richie Havens’ fingers were falling off and his oversized thumb was most likely bruised and dirtied by acoustic guitar strings. He was still on, asked to continue his set until he ran out of songs in his repertoire. All joking aside, he did not know any more songs to play. After doing “Handsome Johnny,” a scared look must have been in his eyes. So, do to his quick thinking and large thumb, “Freedom,” the unofficial anthem of Woodstock, was composed for the first time right on stage. Richie Havens improvised possibly the most important song in the entire show. 
Strumming wildly and convulsing to the beat he merged a new composition, “Freedom,” with the tradition “Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child,” which dates back to the days of slavery when black children were commonly sold and ripped away from their mothers. The song lifted the growing crowd off their feet and was over five minutes of pure emotion and, in a sense, possible exasperation. Just kidding! Richie Havens is a true performer and a real amazing mind. The end of the song which sees Richie Havens get up from his seat while the song crescendos reveals a glob of sweat on the back of his brown dress-like shirt. That, my friends, is hard work. Woodstock would have not been the same without the opening act of Richie Havens. One must give credit where credit is due and he certainly deserves the credit. Happy 40th to Woodstock and enjoy the anniversary with some Richie Havens links I am posting below.
Check it Out:
“I Can’t Make it Anymore,” Woodstock: http://www.uulyrics.com/music/richie-havens/song-cant-make-it-anymore/
“Strawberry Fields Forever,” Woodstock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQG-xM62tQg&feature=fvw
Woodstock- “Freedom”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-d5x-CiTUs&feature=related
The Music Court 
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