1969 Palm Beach Pop Festival 3 day Woodstock South photos

The Palm Beach Pop Festival almost never was, the Local, State, and even a hint of National Government, tried to stop this event. Even unknown forces were at work. The promoter's place of business was burned to the ground, his home was shot at, and the festival became a free event when the gates were crashed. The first Republican Governor in 100 years showed up " to meet a Hippie ", the National Guard patroled the perimiter of the festival, this was just six monthes before Kent State, and the closing act, The Rolling Stones were held up on the tarmac of a New York airport for six hours, because President Nixon's plane was landing there. Then there's the issue of the weather, it rained prior to the event ever happening, the opening day was fine, but then it rained during the festival, it got muddy and oh sooooooo cold the last two nights that people couldn't even sleep on the ground, they had to sleep on their cars, a dry pair of sox was all anyone could ask for. By Ken Davidoff

The Song Your Hearing is

"PALM BEACH POP" ©2010 Lyrics by: Richard Hott, Jack Connell, Ken Davidoff / Lead Vocal, Harmonies, and Rhythm Guitars -Jack Connell / Lead Guitar and Electric Sitar -Chris Leuzinger / Bass Guitar and Song Arrangment -Mark Andes / Drums and Percussions -Steve "Tner" Krawczyn

This song is an amazing collaboration of musicians, with the lyrics, music, and main melody created by Jack Connell, a West Palm Beach native who also attended the Palm Beach Pop festival in 1969. Jack has been a hidden treasure in the local music scene, with musical friends in high places. On Bass guitar, Mark Andes (www.markandesmusic.com) Founding member of Spirit, Canned Heat, Jo Jo Gunn, Firefall, and a member of Heart, Stevie Nicks Band, plus many, many, more. On Lead, the most revered studio scession leader in Nashville, Chris Leuzinger. Chris is from West Palm as well, and started with Dobie Gray, "Drift Away", then on the road with Buffy St. Marie, Crystal Gayle for 13 years, and as a studio musician, is on every Garth Brooks album ever recorded, plus working with the likes of Kathy Mattea, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Paycheck, Chet Atkins, Montgomery Gentry, Neil Diamond, Richie Furay plus many more. Steve "Tner" Krawczyn, an unbelievable drummer and percussionist, also played for Dobie Gray, in the band with Chris during the" Drift Away" days. He was also with Crystal Gayle, and has known Jack ever since he and Chris were in a band together in the late 60's and early 70's called "Peace and Quiet" in the West Palm Beach area. This production is really a few friends working together and having fun doing it. With each player spread out over the USA recording their own parts and sending them to Jack by way of the Web to produce the song, and mix and final product. With all that talent, get ready to get blown away. The thumping bass lines of Mark Andes, together with Chris' screaming colorful lead is a perfect blend to bring out Jacks vocals, and still let all the drums, and percussion to be heard. It is truely an amazing song, and tells the story of a Festival that almost never happened. Yes, that is a sitar you hear, Chris added his own little magical touch of the 60's to give us that flavor of Flower Power again. Hope you like it. by Ken Davidoff

"The Palm Beach Pop" Lyrics

By Richard Hott, Jack Connell, Ken Davidoff

In sixty-nine I cudda' been in a foxhole

When Lightnin' struck I was there at the crossroad

Peace and love was in the air,

The Sheriff didn't care.

he was pistol packin' nasty acting,

but still he didn't dare.

There were clouds of smoke,

dancing-floating high above the crowd.

Then a new day broke, the music spoke

the -notes- were all around. ........

It started as a crap shoot to see how dice rolled,

The Palm Beach Pop Cudda been a Big No-Show.

hippie ministers plead the case carry on the faith

all the time bands of angels were guarding at the gates.

cold and rain couldn't stop the show,

from going on like a wonder of creation.

There was a time

we had it all

cause it was big

but it was small

and it was part

yet it was whole

(and) though it was hard

still it had soul

so we recall

our love was all

at the Palm Beach

Pop Palm Beach Pop Festival

Mike Davidoff, Rev Arthur Blessitt, Ken Davidoff, Backstage at The 1969 Palm Beach Pop Festival

Arthur was brought in by the local Christian community on behalf of the young people to encourage government officials to move forward and let the Festival happen, he was also on stage, and held a Sunday morning service for all the attendees of the Palm Beach Pop

For More Information go to the Interviews page and look for Arthur Blessitts interview on the bottom left.

Ken Davidoff Backstage waiting for the Rolling Stones to show up at The 1969 Palm Beach Pop Festival ( First Annual Palm Beach Music and Arts Festival ) walking in the photo is Grace Slick after The Jefferson Airplane performed in the early morning in the freezing Florida weather. The Rolling Stones finally showed a couple hours later and started playing at 4:00 A.M. their plane was held up in New Yorks airport.

Right- Ken at Palm Beach Pop Photo by Bob Davidoff

Bill Hanley (center) Backstage at The Palm Beach Pop Festival. Parnelli Award winning, Bill Hanley was the sound engineer for the Woodstock Festival, and the Palm Beach Pop Festival. He built special speaker columns with 16 loudspeaker arrays for a special platform on 70 ft. towers. Altec designed marine ply cabinets, each weighjing 1000 lbs. were 6 feet tall by 4 feet deep by 3 feet wide. Each woofer had four 15 in. J.B.L. Lansing D-140 loudspeakers, the tweeters had, 4x2 cell and 2x10 cell Altec horns. This sound system was nicknamed the Woodstock Bins. If you look at the helicopter shot of the stage you will see an 18 wheeler with the words Hanley Sound.