July 4, 1969: Atlanta International Pop Festival Rocks
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Although Woodstock the next month was to become known as the benchmark musical event of the rising counterculture, the Atlanta International Pop Festival, held over July 4 weekend at the Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia, has its significance as well. Though its bill wasn’t as star-studded as Woodstock, it drew a crowd estimated at up to 150,000 people to an event that was peaceful and ran rather smoothly (despite very long lines for the concession stands and 100 degree heat).
Among the score or so of acts on the bill were Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zeppelin and other rockers, jazz group the Dave Brubeck Trio w/Gerry Mulligan and such rising jazz-influenced bands as Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago Transit Authority (later shortened to Chicago), blues-based groups like the Butterfield Blues Band, Canned Heat and Johnny Winter, pop acts Johnny Rivers and Tommy James and the Shondells, folkies Ian & Sylvia, soul instrumental combo Booker T. & the M.G.’s and gospel group the Staple Singers. Plus a newly formed band called Grand Funk Railroad whose rousing set helped win them a record deal and who would go on two years later to sell out New York’s Shea Stadium.
Watch some great archival footage posted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
More footage, though it’s silent.
The fest’s greatest impact may have been to show how in the American South that was thought to be closed-minded and redneck – Georgia’s right-wing segregationist Governor Lester Maddox called the event “one of the worst blights that ever struck our state” – the hippie movement had still blossomed. “We may have felt like freaks, but now we knew we weren’t the only freaks,” noted writer Mark Kemp in in his book Dixie Lullaby: a Story of Music, Race and the Beginnings in a New South. As festival promoter Alex Cooley asserted, “I wanted to do something to make people where I lived understand that we could change.”
Watch more tantalizing footage of Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and others. Alas, it’s silent…
8 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI want the dvd of Atlanta international pop festival whenever it comes out,the one in Macon with the allman brothers, jimi Hendrix, & other bands, I was at Atlanta pop 1970,it was good,better than tx international pop festival & Janis Joplin was there,I liked how cops where so laid back,I took a ride into Macon with some people that lived there would like to see jimi Hendrix & allman brothers on dvd vidio,& others,since I couldn’t see jimi Hendrix or Allman brothers at festival I could here jimi,there were too many persons,I could get up there in am to see Ravi Shankar, thanks, kaystarkey 05@gmail.com,there will never be anything like ii again, I miss it,thanks,kathryn
I went there also, but now in my late 60s, I don’t remember anything but being stoned most of the time, enjoying the music, being hot, bug bites everwhere and having sex with a guy I hardly knew from Maryland. I don’t even remember his name. Come to think of it, I can’t remember much of any of the music concerts I attended. We ate a lot of special oatmeal and raisin cookies.
Do you remember the guys selling ice cold watermelons and cantaloupes ? that was me and my buddy from long Island hitching to Fla. Ran into the festival by accident.
Hey Kat, I was there, too. I was the guy, just kidding. Great music, well-organized but hot.
I was there and in Haight-Ashbury during the summer of love in 67. I had one of the best times in my life. LZ shook the atmosphere and Winter was electirical energy.
I know the 1970 festival was filmed. Where is the footage. After all this time, why can’t we see it
I was there. Does anyone remember the dude with the garbage can full of 16 oz Burger Beer? He sold them for $1 each and many thought his price was outrageous, but of course bought them anyway.
I bought 2, and thank god the July heat was so bad. Then some some other dude comes around shouting, LSD $4 a hit.
Of course at that point it became a matter of economics.. Are you going to pay $1 for a beer and turn down a $4 LSD trip?
I don’t think so.
I went with a group of friends from Melbourne. One of the best memories was seeing Jimi Hendrix play the Star Spangled Banner. We got to camp on the tree lined entrance to a beautiful mansion, and the owners would come out with food and drinks. It was very cool.