All the hoopla surrounding the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock festival is bittersweet in many ways. I've recently found myself avoiding it at every turn. Haven't read the interviews with the founders, the articles flooding the newspapers and the web. Have changed the station when anything comes on TV or radio about it. Turned down the few press invites to both the media event(s) and the "Heroes of Woodstock" concert at Bethel Woods on August 15. I suppose I've been inadvertently boycotting everything Woodstock. But I didn't fully realize it until today. And I know why. It's childish, I suppose, but I admit it: it's because Rick's not here, and all this Woodstock talk just reminds me of that fact.
I know he'd be performing. Maybe solo. Maybe with Levon and Garth, Jim and the guys. But he'd definitely be performing. Without a doubt decked out in one of his colorful tie-dyes.
Even though The Band's performance at Woodstock was not a particular favorite of the group, nor is it particularly well-known by those who are not Band fans (thanks to the, in retrospect, short-sighted management decision not to allow The Band's performance to be part of the film), it has become iconic nevertheless. And deservedly so.
Forty years--that's a long time, and it is hard for me to think about the passage of time, musical or personal, without thinking that Rick has been gone for nearly a decade. Woodstock '94, which seems like yesterday, was 15 years ago. It was 15 years ago that my then husband-to-be and I shared a house for the weekend with Country Joe and the Fish in Woodstock, 15 years since Rick, hyper and happy, was up at what seemed like the crack of dawn, calling us to make sure we were awake and ready to head over to Levon's for the bus ride to the concert site.
Time certainly marches on. So many people have gone since then. I miss Rick. We all miss Rick. But Rick was a glass-half-full type of guy. He'd be happy to see his friends performing, happy to know that Levon is here, and will be playing at the "Heroes of Woodstock" celebration. I'm happy, too.
Try to catch Levon's performance, if you can. You just know he'll be the concert's show-stopper. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.levonhelm.com or www.bethelwoodscenter.org.
Rick Danko
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Thank you for sharing your thought.It is really good to read your article. You can also give some jewelry to your love on this special occasion.
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