Guest Columnist

Transported back to the 1970s

Smokey Robinson meets Bethel Woods

Posted

When I hear the name Woodstock I think of random concertgoers sharing instruments, looking for meals and meeting different kinds of interesting people. They were living in a musical era of Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Richie Havens, just to name a few. Welcome to the beginning of the seventies, a time when rock and rhythm and blues lovers came together for peace and love.

Joe Cocker, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana and other artists performed during Woodstock.  The concert went on for three days through heavy rain, lightning and thunder. Bethel Woods, where Woodstock’s original concert was held, is now a concert venue and museum.  Previously the venue was located on Max Yasgur’s six hundred acre dairy farm in the Catskills of New York. Today many different acts perform at the pavilion in Bethel Woods. Some of the recent artists that have performed here are Earth, Wind and Fire, The Fray, Pitbull and Tony Bennett with Lady Gaga.    

I got to experience a concert this past August. I saw Motown great, Smokey Robinson.  Robinson never performed at Woodstock. In my opinion he would be the greatest singer/songwriter that I’ve ever seen in my life, besides seeing my all-time favorite Long Islander Billy Joel. Robinson danced while performing his classic hits. This was very amusing and fun to watch.  Did you know that Robinson wrote so many songs for a variety of music groups? For example he wrote “My Girl” for The Temptations.

During the concert, he had told the audience about how the song, “Tears of a Clown” came out. His story was that Stevie Wonder and he were at the annual Motown Christmas party. Wonder said to Robinson that he would like Robinson to drive him home from the party because Wonder had a song that he was writing. The next day, Robinson recorded the song, “Tears of a Clown.”

 In Robinson’s concert he sang that song along with, “Cruisin,” “Tracks of My Tears” and many other wonderful ballads.

I recently went to see the museum. While walking through it, I felt like I was living in the seventies. I was amused by all of the fringed and tie-dyed clothing that the concertgoers wore. I also got to see what transportation was like back then.  The big vans that were decorated from top to bottom in cool patterns gave me the feeling of what it was like to feel groovy during this era. This museum is great for people who are interested in learning about American history during the nineteen seventies. For example the assassination of former Senator of the United States Robert Francis Kennedy was documented in the museum. I also learned that Woodstock attracted 400,000 people from all over the world.

If you are interested in learning all about Woodstock or going to a concert at Bethel Woods check out their website www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. You are guaranteed to have a great experience.

Ashley Gazes is an ongoing guest columnist for the Herald.