Woodstock is by far the most definitive music festival of the 1960s. All of the greats played during this iconic fest, and it has been the subject of more than a few documentaries. That being said, while rock and roll and blues definitely dominated Woodstock, quite a few folk rock bands also performed. Let’s look at just a handful of those folk rock outfits that defined Woodstock!
Videos by American Songwriter
Crosby, Stills & Young
This list wouldn’t be worth its salt without including Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Technically, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed during Woodstock. However, Neil Young only performed two songs. He also famously refused to participate in the famed Michael Wadleigh Woodstock documentary.
It was technically the young outfit’s second total gig, and what a gig to score so early in their career. Their set was something incredible to experience, as they split their performance into acoustic and then electric parts. “Helplessly Hoping” is one standout performance, but they also performed classics like “Mr. Soul” and “Guinnevere”.
Country Joe And The Fish
Ah, Country Joe And The Fish. Their Woodstock set was incredible. Technically, Joe McDonald played the fest twice. First, he performed as a solo act on the Saturday slot of Woodstock, and then performed with his whole band the following Sunday.
His solo performance is amazing on its own. If you’re a fan of Country Joe And The Fish, you probably know this one all too well. His performance of the anti-war tune “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” had a whole audience of nearly 400,000 people singing along.
The Incredible String Band
Folk rock isn’t reserved for just American bands; in fact, The Incredible String Band gave Woodstock a good dose of British folk rock excellence during their famed set. This Scottish acoustic outfit formed earlier in the decade and had moved toward a more electric psychedelic folk sound by the time Woodstock 1969 kicked off.
Their set is one of my favorites, complete with performances of “This Moment” and “The Letter”. Their set only included four songs total, but their performance left a lasting impression.
It’s a shame this performance didn’t get a lot of love at the time. The Incredible String Band was scheduled between two hard rock-leaning acts (Keef Hartley Band and Canned Heat), and the crowd wasn’t super into it.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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