Mount Pleasant resident Fred Miles has a story for the ages. In 1969, Miles and his buddy Jim hit the road in Jim’s father’s car, heading straight for the Woodstock music festival early on Aug. 15. However, driving was not necessarily how Miles got to Woodstock. “We just got to the point everything was backed up. The roads were clogged and nobody could move either way,” recalled Miles. Cars were pulling off to the side of the road and people were walking from the highway, so that’s exactly what Miles and his friend did. “We left his father’s car there.”
Miles, now 81, still remembers how the fences surrounding the festival were completely knocked down. Woodstock expected 40,000-50,000 attendees, but attendance grew from 50,000 to 500,000. Vendors were overwhelmed, and resources such as food and restrooms were scarce; nonetheless, the music continued from Aug. 15 into the early morning of Aug. 19. Legendary acts The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana and Jimi Hendrix kept the attraction going. “It was incredible,” Miles said.
Looking back, Miles vividly recollected the assault on the olfactory senses. The torrential downpours and the lack of accessible restrooms left a lingering memory of the scent even 57 years later. “The smell. I can remember the smell, and it was just overwhelming.” Despite it all, he said, “It was an experience. It was something I will never, never ever forget.”
A year after Woodstock, an album was released of all the incredible songs performed. Miles bought it immediately to reminisce on the exhilarating festival. Then the craziest thing happened. While examining the album cover, Miles noticed a familiar face. First, he saw his friend Jim on the right side of the cover. “And then I looked down, I said, ‘holy shit, there I am.’” Miles was now not only able to say he attended Woodstock, but also that he was part of the album cover.
Woodstock ’69 might have only lasted a few days, but the impact it had on the people who went lasted much longer. It has become a symbol of the 1960s counterculture movement, a time when live music brought people together, even when it meant chaos. The performing acts electrified the crowds and defined their careers forever. Woodstock in 1969 was never about money, but about performance, community and music. “It was a pretty friendly group. I mean, most everybody was stoned. You know there were no fights. Everybody was just there.”
PODCAST: Remembering the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair
In 1994, the Woodstock festival held a second edition to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1969 festival. Miles was not in attendance but noted that its essence was nothing compared to the original. “It was all corporate.” To him, what made the original Woodstock so special was the genuine discovery of iconic artists. “Considering the people and the acts that I saw, it just blows my mind,” shared Miles, while adding that most of these beloved artists have passed away now.
Miles acknowledged, “It’ll never, it can never happen again on that scale.” Woodstock holds a special place in his heart and memories as something truly unbelievable and irreplicable. Although there were concerns with the throngs of people, the weather, the food and restroom availability, if given the chance to do it all over again, Miles admitted he could not resist. “I’d leave tomorrow … I’d leave today
By Ella Duane
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