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What happened in The year 1969 ?
- 1969 was the year of the big concerts including The Woodstock Music and Art Festival held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York.
- Bob Dylan and his backing group The Band appeared at the Isle of Wight Music Festival.
- December the ill fated Rolling Stones free concert in Altamont, California, where a fan was stabbed to death.
January 1969
- The Led Zeppelin self named first album was released. They started their first U.S. Tour at he Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released their second album “Bayou Country”.
- Jethro Tull played their first U.S concert with Led Zeppelin in New York City.
- Drummer Pete Best won his defamation lawsuit against the Beatles.
- Elton John released his second single “Lady Samantha”
- January 30th the Beatles before they were stopped by the police were filmed performing on the roof at the Apple offices. The scenes were later shown on the “Let it Be” movie.
- Charlie Watts book was published “Ode to a High Flying Bird”.
- Billy Preston signed with Apple Records.
February 1969
- Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr hired Allen Klein as the group's new manager. Paul McCartney hired his father-in-law's firm, Eastman & Eastman, as general legal counsel for Apple Corps.
- Apple released Mary Hopkin’s “Postcard” album.
- Beach Boys released their 20/20 album.
- Jimi Hendrix Experience played their last gig at the Royal Albert Hall.
- Joni Mitchell appeared at the Carnegie Hall.
- The Hollies, The Moody Blues, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity and Fairport Convention appeared at Sheffield University.
- Lulu and Bee Gee Maurice Gibb were married.
March 1969
- Cream released their “Goodbye” album.
- Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman at Marylebone Registry office.
- John Lennon married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar.
- Wembley Empire Pool staged “Pop World 69” which included appearances from Fleetwood Mac, The Move, Amen Corner, Harmony Grass and Barry Ryan,
- In the Eurovision song contest four countries were voted to first place with 18 points, Spain, Netherlands, France and Britain. Lulu sang “Boom Bang A Bang” for the U.K.
- Stevie Wonder, The Flirtations and the Foundations appeared at the Coventry Theatre in the U.K.
- Genesis released their first album “From Genesis to Revelation”.
April 1969
- Some of the artists who appeared at the Detroit Pop Festival were The Amboy Dukes, The MC5, The Bob Seger System,The Frost, Frijid Pink and The Rationals.
- The Beach Boys filed a lawsuit against Capitol Records for unpaid royalties.
- King Crimson played at the London Speakeasy.
- International Festival Of Country And Western Music at the Empire Pool Wembley, included Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, George Hamliton IV, Loretta Lynn and The Orange Blossom Sound.
- Janis Joplin and her Kozmic Blues Band appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
- Benny Benjamin (Papa Zita) the main drummer with the Motown studio band The Funk Brothers died from a stroke.
- The Daily Express Record Star Show at the Wembley Empire Pool featured Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, The Herd, Status Quo, Joe Cocker and the Casuals,
- Bob Dylan released his album “Nashville Skyline”.
- Beatles reached number one in the U.K. with “Get Back”.
May 1969
- Bob Dylan guest starred on ABC-TV's The Johnny Cash Show.
- Sly and the Family Stone released their ground breaking album “Stand”.
- Love Sculpture, The Move, Love Affair, Marmalade, Steppenwolf, Amen Corner, Desmond Dekker, The Scaffold and Johnny Nash appeared at The NME Poll Winners at the Empire Pool, Wembley.
- Fleetwood Mac, the Herd and The Spirit of John Morgan appeared at the Pennycross Stadium, Plymouth.
- May 23 - 25 The Big Rock Pow Wow held at the Seminole Indian Village, West Hollywood, Florida. Some of the artists who featured were The Grateful Dead, Joe South, NRBQ and Muddy Waters.
- Jimi Hendrix was arrested by Canadian Mounties at Toronto's International Airport for possession of narcotics.
- Fairport Conventions van crashed on the way home from a gig. The drummer Martin Lamble was killed.
- The Who released their rock opera double album “Tommy”.
- First Annual Rock & Roll Revival at the Michigan State Fair, Detroit some of the acts who appeared were Chuck Berry, The Amboy Dukes, Brownsville Station, MC5, The Stooges, The Grand Funk Railroad and The Rationals.
June 1969
- Brian Jones announced he was leaving the Rolling Stones.
- Elton John released his first album “Empty Sky” all the tracks were written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin.
- Cambridge Midsummer Common Free Pop Festival some of the artists that appeared were The Edgar Broughton Band, King Crimson, The Deviants, East of Eden, Family and The Strawbs.
- Blind Faith debuted in Hyde Park, London with Richie Havens, Edgar Broughton Band, The Third Ear Band and Donovan.
- Led Zeppelin began their first U.K. Tour.
- Over the three days of June 20th - 22nd the “Newport 69 pop Festival” was held at Devonshire Downs, Northridge, California. Some of the artists who appeared were The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jethro Tull, Booker T & the MG’s, Chambers Brothers, the Byrds, the Rascals and Three Dog Night.
- The Beatles the “Ballad of John & Yoko” reached number one in the U.K.
- Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall, the Nice, Led Zeppelin and Ten Years After appeared at the Bath Festival of the Blues.
- Pink Floyd appeared at the Royal Albert Hall and fired off two cannons and pink smoke bombs near the end of their performance.
- Some of the artists who appeared at The Denver Pop Festival were Iron Buttefly, Three Dog Night, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Jimi Hendrix Experience who had their final performance together.
- Blues singer Wynonie Harris died of cancer.
- Motown singer songwiter Shorty Long died in a boating accident.
July 1969
- July 3rd Brian Jones ex Rolling Stones was found dead in his swimming pool at his home.
- July 5th The Rolling Stones performed in a free concert at Hyde Park dedicating the show to their deceased former guitarist and introducing their new member Mick Taylor. Family the Third Ear Band and King Crimson also performed.
- At Saugatuck, MI, Pottawatamie Beach, Some of the artists featured were the MC-5, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Stooges, Procol Harum and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
- The Doors released their “The Soft Parade” album.
- The Who, Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, Ten Years After and Jethro Tull began a concert tour in America.
- Pink Floyd released their album “More”.
- Some of the artists who appeared at the Midwest Rock Festival, Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, West Allis, Winsconsin were Delaney and Bonnie, Taste, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, MC-5 and Blind Faith.
- The Rolling Stones single “Honky Tonk Women” reached number one in the U.K. And the following month it went top in the U.S.
- At The Atlanta International Pop Festival some of the artists who appeared were Canned Heat, Blood Sweat & Tears, Janis Joplin, Led Zepplin, Chicago, Delaney & Bonnie, The Staple Singers and Creedence Clearwater Revival.
- Roy Hamilton the American singer died.
August 1969
- August 3rd Atlantic City Pop Festival included appearances by Santana, Jefferson Airplane, B.B. King, Janis Joplin, the Moody Blues, Mothers of Invention, Canned Heat, Three Dog Night and Joe Cocker.
- August 8th – 10th The Ninth Jazz & Blues Festival opened at Plumpton, East Sussex. Some of the artists who appeared were Pink Floyd, the Strawbs, The Who, Chicken Shack, Yes, King Crimson, Family, and Long John Baldry.
- August 15th – 17th At Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York, the “Woodstock Music & Arts Festival” was held. Some of the artists who appeared at this sixties music festival were Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, Country Joe and the Fish, John Sebastian, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, the Band, Grateful Dead and Ten Years After.
- Appearing at the Vancouver Pop Festival, Squamish, B.C. were The Chambers Brothers, Chicago, Little Richard, Love, Motherlode, Alice Cooper, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Grateful Dead, Crome Syrcus, Poco, Merryweather, the Young Rascals, Canned Heat, Guess Who, Merrilee Rush, Taj Mahal, Grass Roots, and Flying Burrito Brothers
- .Blind Faith released their self named first and only album on Polydor.
- Bob Dylan appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival which was held on the 30th & 31st of August. Others who performed included The Who, The Nice, Joe Cocker, Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, Moody Blues, Edgar Broughton Band, Family, Fat Mattress, Free, the Pretty Things and Pentangle.
- 30th August - 1st September 1969 Texas International Pop Festival Lewisville, Texas Acts included: Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, Sam & Dave, Rotary Connection, Grand Funk Railroad, Delaney & Bonnie, The Incredible String Band, Nazz, Santana, Spirit, Sweetwater, Tony Joe White and Chicago.
September 1969
- September 13th in Toronto, Canada John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band performed at a Rock n’ Roll revival concert. Other artists who appeared were Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.
- Josh White blues and folk singer died.
- September 13th – 15th The Rugby Rag’s Blues Festival held at Rainsbrook, Rugby, Warwickshire. Performers included Pink Floyd, Free, Ralph McTell, King Crimson and The Nice
- The Beatles released their “Abbey Road” album in the U.K.
- The Turtles, Alice Cooper, the MC5, The Amboy Dukes, The Frost, The Pleasure Seekers, The Rationals, Savage Grace and Rush appeared at the Toledo Pop Festival, Toledo Raceway Park, Ohio.
October 1969
- The Kinks released their album “Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire”.
- October 14th “Someday We’ll Be Together” by Diana Ross & the Supremes was released. This was their last record before Diana Ross embarked on her solo career. The record reached the top spot and was the final number one of the decade in the U.S. Charts.
- King Crimson released their album “In the Court of the Crimson King”.
- Led Zeppelin began their third U.S. tour at the Carnegie Hall in New York City.
- Leonard Chess the founder of Chess records died of a heart attack.
- Muddy Waters (real name McKinley Morganfield) was in a serious car accident in Illinois. .
November 1969
- First Annual Palm Beach Music and Art Festival at the International Raceway featured The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, The Chambers Brothers, Sly and The Family Stone, King Crimson, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Steppenwolf, Spirit, Pacific Gas and Electric, Sweetwater, Country Joe and The Fish, the Moody Blues, Rotary Connection, Grand Funk Railroad, Ten Years After, Spooky Tooth and Iron Butterfly.
- John Lennon returned his MBE to the queen he wrote “I am returning this MBE in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against ‘Cold Turkey’ slipping down the charts”.
- Led Zeppelin 2 was there second album released.
- Crosby - Stills - Nash - Young appeared at the Winterland San Francisco.
- Pink Floyd released their double album “Ummagumma”.
- The Hollies released their “Hollies sing Hollies” album.
December 1969
- December 6th The Altamont Speedway Free Festival, Meredith Hunter was beaten to death by some Hells Angels who were In charge of the concerts security. Among the artists who appeared were the Rolling Stones, Santana, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby,Nash, Stills & Young and Jefferson Airplane.
- Johnny Cash, the Statler Brothers Quartet, the Carter family and Carl Perkins appeared at Madison Square Garden, N.Y.
- The Rolling Stones released their “Let It Bleed” album
- John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band played at London’s Lyceum Ballroom.
Other 1969 music facts
The Troggs disbanded.
Eric Burdon & The Animals disband
Spencer Davis Group split.
The Easybeats folded.
Blind Faith Disbanded.
The Small Faces split.
The Herd disbanded.
Formed in 1969
Eric Burden and War were formed.
Group X changed to Hawkwind Zoo then just Hawkwind.
The Plastic Ono Band.
Mott the Hoople.
The Almond Brothers Band.
Formed in Birmingham, England Judas Priest.
Rare Earth formed in Detroit.
Uriah Heep.
Formed in New York Shanana.
Brotherhood of Man.
Knowbody Else changed to Black Oak Arkansas.
Mungo Jerry.
Formed in Glasgow Stone the Crows.
Bread formed in Los Angeles.
Steeleye Span.
Ambrose Slade later dropped the Ambrose.
Atomic Rooster.
Daryl Hall & John Oates began their partnership.
Big Bertha.
Edgar Broughton Band.
Renaissence.
Wishbone Ash.
Earth, Wind And Fire.
Supertramp.
Blue Mink.
Little Feat formed in Los Angeles.
America.
Art Ensemble of Chicago.
Humble Pie.
The Chairmen of the Board.
Fat Mattress.
New Riders of the Purple Sage.
The Faces.
Brownsville Station.
Blind Faith.
Argent.
Frankie Valli
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Four Seasons
Very Best Of The
One Night Only
1969
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