The 1960s in many ways was a turning point in the history of Western Culture. In this paper I will be discussing one of the major musical events of the 1960`s, the Woodstock Music and arts festival and its impact on the development of Western popular music and culture. I will be focusing on Jimi Hendrix‘s set and mainly his performance of the Star Spangled Banner.
In 1942, Jimi Hendrix (Born Johnny Allen Hendrix), one of the great influencers of popular music was born. He left an impact on the music industry that has yet to be replicated. From a young age he had an interest in making music. His first instrument was a one-stringed ukulele, he soon graduated to a 5$ second hand guitar. It was with this guitar that he joined his first band, The Velvetones. This band was a precursor to the impact that Jimi Hendrix would later have on the world of popular music. From the Velvetones he went on to join and start various bands. He was so passionate about music he even created a band while enlisted in the US army in 1961. While training as a paratrooper he started a band named The Kings Kasuals. After a short stint in the army,…show more content… Many iconic performers graced the stage at the Woodstock music festival in 1969 from Santana to Grateful Dead. Some of the performances have gone down in history as icons of rock history. Some of the more notable performances include Carlos Santana’s rendition of Soul Sacrifice. This was considered his best performance of the song. Another notable performance of the Woodstock music festival was Richie Haven’s performance of Freedom. This was a notable performance because of the simplicity of instrumentation that still provided an impactful performance. This performance was also a launching pad for Havens from relative obscurity into stardom. It would be remiss not to mention this emotional and stunning performance was done with a lack of upper