I was there, don't remember much of the music, just Allman Bros, Johnny Winter, Hendrix. Mainly remember the people. Planned to go with friends from college. Supposed to meet at Varsity in Atlanta. When they didn't show up I drove down by myself in the old Triumph. Met many great people there! In lanes of rows of pecan trees there were stands folks set up selling hot dogs, cokes, and a couple booths selling pot, complete with menu boards. Most vivid memory after 50 years is Hendrix playing far in the distance with fireworks booming!
I was there with two friends and don't remember much of the music either except Hendrix and Goose Creek. I remember the lake we went skinny dipping in and the Hare Krishna tents and how high bottled Cokes were going for.
I live in Warner Robins. My uncle was Ronnie Hammond and I hear lots of stories about those days. A portion of that grove is still there. A good piece of it, anyway. Fun fact: there were several “secret” underground missile silos VERY close to the festival site. They were installed because of the Cold War, and anyone on that property would have heard klaxons and would’ve seen the noses of several missiles carrying nuclear warheads emerge from the farmland around them. They have since been filled in with concrete and the missiles obviously removed and dismantled.
Well thank you to Ragtop Historian for this splendid recollection!! Any rock festival w Richie Havens, Johnny Winter, HENDRIX etal.. makes for a nice rememberance and it is great seeing that historic plaque as well!!🙂☮️🇺🇸
I've live 2-3 miles from it and have lived here since 99 and only found out about it last year. I just ordered the 51 page photo booklet about it on ebay.
I missed this one. Woodstock too as I was only 10 and 11. But!!! The August Jam at Charlotte motor speeday in 73 was my woodstock. I was much older and wiser.
Same boat as you, Kenneth. I was 15 and couldn't go to Atlanta IPF but did go to August Jam. WOW! The highlight acts of Black Oak, ELP and The Allman Brothers were awesome. Way more people than I ever expected. And HOT!!!
@@mbt1955yeah buddy, it was smoking. I have to admit I don't remember a great deal about a lot of it. I couldn't handle my drink at 15 and to this day I still can't believe my parents let me go! Oh! I think I told them I was going camping. And I did! Sort of.
@@kennethchambers9949 - There is some footage on You Tube of Black Oak doing " Hey Y'all " and " Dixie " at August Jam and also a Facebook page. Oh the times...
I was also there at Byron, I've always wanted to know the opening group at this festival. It did a version of Wooden Ships and I've never been able to identify the opening band any help would be great.
I am not sure that this setlist is in order but this is all I could find: www.setlist.fm/festival/1970/atlanta-international-pop-festival-1970-1bd69994.html Thanks for watching! Hopefully we can find out the answer for you!
@@RagtopHistorian Thanks, that helps a lot. I will check out Goose Creek Symphony they may have been the opening act. I kind of recall that it could have been a local band that was from Atlanta if I find out any more information I'll let you know, again thank you!
Great job! Amazed to hear that Mr Cooley tried biker security when Altamont scandal of December 69 was so well known? Fascinating if so - Cooley went on to be well-regarded, spent of rest of career in same business, as I understand, and employed hundreds.
Festival was actually held on the far side of the raceway, not where the marker is by the roadway! Probably 250 yards to the west of where video showed!
My ol man gave me this album as a kid when I found his record collection in a closet . Him and his older brothers made it back from Vietnam and I came along in late 70's . We're from GA via Sweden they tell me back to some time in the 1700's which blows my mind . We got civil war graves of us and all its crazy . Didn't have internet growing up I could never have imagined something like youtube . Time machine for the soul
One of my aunt's lived not far from vincent valley. She talked about the nude people and the trash that they left behind. I was not aware that the music was where the golf range is now because most of the people were down the road in vincent valley.My aunt always had negative memories of the event and she was thankful that they never came back..... I have been telling my son that the event took place at Vincent Valley so I need to correct that the next time we go by there.THANKS for making these videos, I've learned a lot and have missed your videos recently.
Vinson Valley, they used to rent out the lake and surrounding playground area for private parties, at least into the 90’s. Probably not now, but bet most of it is still there.
My dad played this festival and I'm looking for footage of it. Unfortunately he passed coming up 24 years ago in a couple days. According to my mom his band played right before the Allman Brothers but not sure which day (they played 2 days I believe). Also not sure if you'd know this info, but Jai Johanny Johanson played at a place called the Beer Barrel before he joined the Allman Brothers. Apparently my dad took over that gig after he joined them.
I don’t believe there is any surviving footage, unfortunately. I have been scouring the internet and can find nothing. I bet there was maybe some footage in Atlanta newsrooms that were used back then, but if there was no one has published it now. What was your Dad’s name? I can see what I can find out!
@@RagtopHistorian thanks for the reply. I've looked all over myself and couldn't find anything. His name was Chuck/Charlie Bradley. Not sure which he went by then. He was stationed at Warren Robbins around that time. I just found a pic from the Macon Coliseum from April 1971 that looks like him on the drums but I don't know if it's him.
We drove through while it was happening. My mom, aunt and Brother. One guy asked if he could ride on our hood. My aunt said no and the guy said “Spoiled Sport”. Weird thing to remember. I was 10
Haha! What a memory! I bet some were a rowdy bunch, for sure! I was about your age then too. I would have loved to hear the music, though! Thanks so much for commenting and watching!
I was there with a couple shipmates. We weren't in uniform but our haircuts gave us away. We enjoyed the music but the atmosphere wasn't very welcoming to military people but we did meet some good people who seemed to Un derstand we hadn't killed any babies for at least a week 😊
Not mentioned, a young man dove through a windshield after telling me “Hey Buddy, I’m going to kill myself”… He then ran down the street and did a Superman into the windshield of an oncoming Ford Falcon. Also not mentioned and almost blew my head of was when Jimi was started the stars spangled banner song and the main sky rocket went off, up about ten feet in the air and then went horizontal and right over my head and into the crowd… I’ve tried to find articles that might tell me the young man survived the dive through the windshield, but have not been able to find anything on either of the subjects above… 70 now, not the year of the concert, but the year of “Me”… God bless everyone!
Oh, my! You really have a great story of that day! Thanks so much for sharing it! I just wish I had been old enough to attend that concert back then! Thanks for watching too!
I hope so! I would love to hear from first hand accounts of the bands who played there and anything else about it! I bet it was awesome!!! Thanks for watching!!
@@RagtopHistorian I think they were just a little too country for the crowd --it wasnt the whole crowd by any means , and thanks for your video --I was a skinny 15 year old then -brought back memories
I noticed that also! I wonder how it got past the printer back then! I wish I could have been there! You were a witness to history! Thanks so much for watching
First off, thanks for watching my video. Secondly, Woodstock is in quotes. It was billed in advertisements as Atlanta’s “Woodstock”. Lastly, it was a LONG way from Atlanta. The video, if you watched it, explains why the festival wasn’t in Atlanta. Points made. Have a great day!
@@RagtopHistorian Hendrix was the only reason I went to Atlanta Pop. I finally got to see my idol. 2 months later he was gone. I cried like a baby and will always wonder...what could of been?
@@waynelynch3862 You were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time to be able to go! I was too young! You are right, it's a shame he died so young, as did others. I wish some movie footage could be unearthed from that concert! I have been searching and can find nothing!
Drove down with friends in a packed VW bus . Told our parents it was a Merle haggard festival promoting the viet nam war. Imagine their surprise when they saw the whole thing on the evening news being declared a sex and drug fest state of emergency…
Oh man! You must have been in huge trouble! Teen rebellion! Actually, it was very tame compared to today! Glad you got to go! Thanks so much for commenting and for watching!
People that live around the old race car track will nor let him open up the reack . Saying to much noise . But go there any sat. Or sunday and hear all the lawn mowers weed eater and stuff going . Track would be quite
This was Atlanta's version of the Woodstock event. It was not in Atlanta, but Woodstock wasn't in Woodstock either. It was promoted heavily in Atlanta, and I am sure if the promoters had their way it would have been in Atlanta Stadium. As it was, it was in a place that, today is largely preserved like it was back then. Thankfully. Thanks for watching!
My husband and I were there in 70.
Will never forget!
No in 69!
We saw Hendrix up close!
I was there on Stage when Jimmy played Star Spangled banner on stage in my father's arms..
I was there, don't remember much of the music, just Allman Bros, Johnny Winter, Hendrix. Mainly remember the people. Planned to go with friends from college. Supposed to meet at Varsity in Atlanta. When they didn't show up I drove down by myself in the old Triumph. Met many great people there!
In lanes of rows of pecan trees there were stands folks set up selling hot dogs, cokes, and a couple booths selling pot, complete with menu boards.
Most vivid memory after 50 years is Hendrix playing far in the distance with fireworks booming!
You were a witness to an historic event! I wish I could have been there. Thanks so much for watching!
Mike Fannon-Say isn't the Varsity across the street from Georgia Tech?
I was there with two friends and don't remember much of the music either except Hendrix and Goose Creek. I remember the lake we went skinny dipping in and the Hare Krishna tents and how high bottled Cokes were going for.
@@carywest9256it is
I was there, and 1969. Both were incredible,
Me too Peggy. Take care.
Me too
I was too, although I'm not sure if it was 69 or 70. I recall a peach tree orchard and Hendrix setting his quitar on fire.
I attended this festival with friends from Jax,Florida. Camped in a pecan grove next to it, probably gone now.
Some of the pecan grove is still there, but a lot of it has given way to housing and other development. We also camped out in the pecan grove.
Did the same with 2 overstuffed car loads of friends
I live in Warner Robins. My uncle was Ronnie Hammond and I hear lots of stories about those days. A portion of that grove is still there. A good piece of it, anyway. Fun fact: there were several “secret” underground missile silos VERY close to the festival site.
They were installed because of the Cold War, and anyone on that property would have heard klaxons and would’ve seen the noses of several missiles carrying nuclear warheads emerge from the farmland around them.
They have since been filled in with concrete and the missiles obviously removed and dismantled.
That is so interesting… and frightening! Who knew? Thanks so much for watching and sharing that bit of history!
I was there hitting golf balls 3 days ago, I live just a few miles down the road! PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS!
That is so cool! Thanks for watching and commenting!! Golf on and Rock On!!!
Always wondered about these facts- thank you ! Dublin, GA
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Well thank you to Ragtop Historian for this splendid recollection!! Any rock festival w Richie Havens, Johnny Winter, HENDRIX etal.. makes for a nice rememberance and it is great seeing that historic plaque as well!!🙂☮️🇺🇸
Thanks for watching! I wish I could have been there at the time to witness all of the music history!
I live a little over a mile down the highway from there. My parents went to the festival.
I've live 2-3 miles from it and have lived here since 99 and only found out about it last year. I just ordered the 51 page photo booklet about it on ebay.
I missed this one. Woodstock too as I was only 10 and 11. But!!! The August Jam at Charlotte motor speeday in 73 was my woodstock. I was much older and wiser.
Same boat as you, Kenneth. I was 15 and couldn't go to Atlanta IPF but did go to August Jam. WOW! The highlight acts of Black Oak, ELP and The Allman Brothers were awesome. Way more people than I ever expected. And HOT!!!
@@mbt1955yeah buddy, it was smoking. I have to admit I don't remember a great deal about a lot of it. I couldn't handle my drink at 15 and to this day I still can't believe my parents let me go! Oh! I think I told them I was going camping. And I did! Sort of.
@@kennethchambers9949 - There is some footage on You Tube of Black Oak doing " Hey Y'all " and " Dixie " at August Jam and also a Facebook page. Oh the times...
I also caught both festivals. The Joy's of youth.
You were at woodstock!? Please tell us about it!!
I was also there at Byron, I've always wanted to know the opening group at this festival. It did a version of Wooden Ships and I've never been able to identify the opening band any help would be great.
I am not sure that this setlist is in order but this is all I could find: www.setlist.fm/festival/1970/atlanta-international-pop-festival-1970-1bd69994.html
Thanks for watching! Hopefully we can find out the answer for you!
@@RagtopHistorian
Thanks, that helps a lot. I will check out Goose Creek Symphony they may have been the opening act. I kind of recall that it could have been a local band that was from Atlanta if I find out any more information I'll let you know, again thank you!
Allman Brothers opened the festival July 3rd 1970.
Grand funk
I was at this festival
Great job! Amazed to hear that Mr Cooley tried biker security when Altamont scandal of December 69 was so well known? Fascinating if so - Cooley went on to be well-regarded, spent of rest of career in same business, as I understand, and employed hundreds.
Thank you for this. ✌️❤️🇨🇦
Thanks for watching!
Very cool..thanks!
Tysm, this is a great video! I grew up in Houston county and my dad always used to talk about the Pop Festival. Don’t here about it much these days
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Don’t you wish we could have another pop festival! Sadly, those days are gone…
Festival was actually held on the far side of the raceway, not where the marker is by the roadway!
Probably 250 yards to the west of where video showed!
Yes. It was held on the property where the driving range is now. I indicated that.
Very good.
Didn't catch that part!
What a line up!
What has happened to music nowdays?
It’s certainly not as good as we had! Thanks for watching!
My ol man gave me this album as a kid when I found his record collection in a closet . Him and his older brothers made it back from Vietnam and I came along in late 70's . We're from GA via Sweden they tell me back to some time in the 1700's which blows my mind . We got civil war graves of us and all its crazy . Didn't have internet growing up I could never have imagined something like youtube . Time machine for the soul
It is truly a time machine for the soul. I love that! Thanks so much for watching and sharing your family’s story!
@@RagtopHistorian yeah sure . Took me back a while I guess . Thanks
One of my aunt's lived not far from vincent valley. She talked about the nude people and the trash that they left behind. I was not aware that the music was where the golf range is now because most of the people were down the road in vincent valley.My aunt always had negative memories of the event and she was thankful that they never came back..... I have been telling my son that the event took place at Vincent Valley so I need to correct that the next time we go by there.THANKS for making these videos, I've learned a lot and have missed your videos recently.
Vinson Valley, they used to rent out the lake and surrounding playground area for private parties, at least into the 90’s. Probably not now, but bet most of it is still there.
I enjoy offbeat stuff like this. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! I have more offbeat stuff!
love the music used in this doco, can you tell me what it is?
Thank you! It’s called Every Father’s Dream by Pip Mondy. Here is a link: ruclips.net/video/V8xEwFwlz2M/видео.html. Thanks for watching!
@@RagtopHistorian thank you, great stuff! :)
I was 6 and in Macon. I do vividly remember my parents complaining about the extra traffic! Man - if I would have only been about 8-10 years older!
You and I are about the same age. I would have LOVED to have been able to be there too! Thanks for watching and commenting!
My dad played this festival and I'm looking for footage of it. Unfortunately he passed coming up 24 years ago in a couple days. According to my mom his band played right before the Allman Brothers but not sure which day (they played 2 days I believe). Also not sure if you'd know this info, but Jai Johanny Johanson played at a place called the Beer Barrel before he joined the Allman Brothers. Apparently my dad took over that gig after he joined them.
I don’t believe there is any surviving footage, unfortunately. I have been scouring the internet and can find nothing. I bet there was maybe some footage in Atlanta newsrooms that were used back then, but if there was no one has published it now. What was your Dad’s name? I can see what I can find out!
@@RagtopHistorian thanks for the reply. I've looked all over myself and couldn't find anything. His name was Chuck/Charlie Bradley. Not sure which he went by then. He was stationed at Warren Robbins around that time. I just found a pic from the Macon Coliseum from April 1971 that looks like him on the drums but I don't know if it's him.
I will look through Newspapers.com and see if I can find anything about him. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I was there
We drove through while it was happening. My mom, aunt and Brother. One guy asked if he could ride on our hood. My aunt said no and the guy said “Spoiled Sport”. Weird thing to remember. I was 10
Haha! What a memory! I bet some were a rowdy bunch, for sure! I was about your age then too. I would have loved to hear the music, though! Thanks so much for commenting and watching!
I was there with a couple shipmates. We weren't in uniform but our haircuts gave us away. We enjoyed the music but the atmosphere wasn't very welcoming to military people but we did meet some good people who seemed to Un derstand we hadn't killed any babies for at least a week 😊
Not mentioned, a young man dove through a windshield after telling me “Hey Buddy, I’m going to kill myself”… He then ran down the street and did a Superman into the windshield of an oncoming Ford Falcon. Also not mentioned and almost blew my head of was when Jimi was started the stars spangled banner song and the main sky rocket went off, up about ten feet in the air and then went horizontal and right over my head and into the crowd… I’ve tried to find articles that might tell me the young man survived the dive through the windshield, but have not been able to find anything on either of the subjects above… 70 now, not the year of the concert, but the year of “Me”… God bless everyone!
Oh, my! You really have a great story of that day! Thanks so much for sharing it! I just wish I had been old enough to attend that concert back then! Thanks for watching too!
Well drove through it 8 or nine times both events. We live in Forsyth we used to go to racetrack there naked people every where
Lots of stuff going on besides music
Where was ARS?
Anyone that was there remember Cactus on Saturday 4th of July?
I hope so! I would love to hear from first hand accounts of the bands who played there and anything else about it! I bet it was awesome!!! Thanks for watching!!
There's a saying that we can't hardly see any more festivals or concerts nowadays is ridiculous
I remember hearing some boos when Poco played
That’s a shame. I love Poco! Maybe they weren’t so good in the beginning? Thanks for watching!
@@RagtopHistorian I think they were just a little too country for the crowd --it wasnt the whole crowd by any means , and thanks for your video --I was a skinny 15 year old then -brought back memories
HAHAHAHA! They misspelled the name of the town (Byron) on the ticket. I was at both festivals and the line-up at #1 was far superior.
I noticed that also! I wonder how it got past the printer back then! I wish I could have been there! You were a witness to history! Thanks so much for watching
My dad rode in the bed of a pickup truck for 5 hours to go to this
It had to be totally worth it! I bet he has some wonderful memories!
@@RagtopHistorian He still talks about seeing Jimi Hendrix
What's your point with the title?
Woodstock wasn't in Woodstock either.
First off, thanks for watching my video. Secondly, Woodstock is in quotes. It was billed in advertisements as Atlanta’s “Woodstock”. Lastly, it was a LONG way from Atlanta. The video, if you watched it, explains why the festival wasn’t in Atlanta. Points made. Have a great day!
It's tradition, Woodstock wasn't in Woodstock.
They didn't even invite the boys to the first one.
what's the song
Copyright free music (required by RUclips). Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!
HENDRIX..Need I say more?
That’s right! Thanks for watching!
@@RagtopHistorian Hendrix was the only reason I went to Atlanta Pop.
I finally got to see my idol. 2 months later he was gone. I cried like a baby and will always wonder...what could of been?
@@waynelynch3862 You were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time to be able to go! I was too young! You are right, it's a shame he died so young, as did others. I wish some movie footage could be unearthed from that concert! I have been searching and can find nothing!
@@RagtopHistorian there is some videos on youtube in HD. Purple Haze and Freedom are available, just search "Hendrix atlanta pop festival 1970"
I was born too late !!!
Me too!
Still lots of annual festivals for younger people where I'm too old for those.. That's life though.. lol
Drove down with friends in a packed VW bus . Told our parents it was a Merle haggard festival promoting the viet nam war. Imagine their surprise when they saw the whole thing on the evening news being declared a sex and drug fest state of emergency…
Oh man! You must have been in huge trouble! Teen rebellion! Actually, it was very tame compared to today! Glad you got to go! Thanks so much for commenting and for watching!
People that live around the old race car track will nor let him open up the reack . Saying to much noise . But go there any sat. Or sunday and hear all the lawn mowers weed eater and stuff going . Track would be quite
Woodstock is Woodstock, it's not in Atlanta
This was Atlanta's version of the Woodstock event. It was not in Atlanta, but Woodstock wasn't in Woodstock either. It was promoted heavily in Atlanta, and I am sure if the promoters had their way it would have been in Atlanta Stadium. As it was, it was in a place that, today is largely preserved like it was back then. Thankfully. Thanks for watching!
I was there