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Jimi Hendrix
Aug. 15 marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Woodstock, the now iconic music festival that drew more than 400,000 people to Bethel, New York, for three days of peace and music. The three-day fest, which took place Aug. 15-18, 1969, saw performances from 32 acts, many of whom are some of rock’s most legendary names: Jimi Hendrix (and his band Gypsy Sun And Rainbows), Janis Joplin, The Who, Carlos Santana, Grateful Dead and more. In celebration of the anniversary, Billboard rounded up some photos from the history-making event.
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Woodstock, 1969
Concert-goers sit on the roof of a Volkswagen bus at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair at Bethel, N.Y., in mid-August, 1969.
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Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia performing with The Grateful Dead at the Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, New York on Aug. 16, 1969.
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Woodstock, 1969
Fans climb a scaffold to get a better view at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in August, 1969 near White Lake a hamlet of Bethel, New York.
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Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey of The Who photographed at Woodstock in 1969.
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Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane on stage playing before a massive audience of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
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Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin at Woodstock in 1969.
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Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker performs for the thousands of people attending the Woodstock Festival of Arts and Musik at Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
Woodstock Festival of Arts and Music at Bethel, New York, August
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Joan Baez
Joan Baez at Woodstock Festival of Arts and Music at Bethel in New York in August, 1969.
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Woodstock, 1969
Woodstock Festival of Arts and Music at Bethel, New York, August 1969
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Woodstock, 1969
Hundreds of rock music fans jam highway leading from Bethel, New York, as they try to leave the Woodstock Music and Art Festival.
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Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie photographed at Woodstock in 1969.
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Joan Baez
Joan Baez on stage at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Aug. 15, 1969 near White Lake a hamlet of Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
Attendees resting inside at the Woodstock Music Festival on Aug. 16, 1969 in Woodstock, New York.
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David Brown & Michael Shrieve
Bassist David Brown and drummer Michael Shrieve performing with the band “Santana” at the Woodstock Music Festival on Aug. 16, 1969 in Woodstock, New York.
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Alla Rakha & Ravi Shankar
Tabla player Alla Rakha and sitar player Ravi Shankar on stage at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Aug. 15, 1969 near White Lake a hamlet of Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
Woodstock, 1969
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Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana holds maracas and an electric guitar while performing at the Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
Fans sitting on top of a painted bus at the Woodstock Music Festival, Bethel, New York, 15th-17th August 1969.
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Sly Stone
Sly Stone of the psychedelic soul group “Sly And The Family Stone” performs at the 1969 Woodstock Festival on Aug. 17, 1969 in Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
View of a portion of the audience as they watch a performance at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, Bethel, New York, August 1969.
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Woodstock, 1969
Woodstock, 1969
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Sweetwater
Nancy “Nansi” Nevins of the rock band Sweetwater performs at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm on Aug. 15, 1969 near White Lake a hamlet of Bethel, New York.
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Woodstock, 1969
Woodstock, 1969