. Birth of New Genres

• Progressive Rock: Often cited as the genre’s “Big Bang,” 1969 saw the release of In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson, which melded rock with classical and jazz structures.
• Jazz-Rock Fusion: Miles Davis pioneered this sound with his transition into electric jazz, while Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats revolutionized rock with its complex jazz-influenced arrangements and virtuosic musicianship.
• Protopunk: The Stooges and MC5 emerged from Detroit with an aggressive, raw sound that laid the foundation for the punk rock movement.
• Country Rock: The Flying Burrito Brothers and Bob Dylan (with Nashville Skyline) began bridging the gap between traditional country roots and modern rock

Technological and Studio Innovations

• The Moog Synthesizer: Robert Moog received a patent for his voltage-controlled oscillator in 1969. While Wendy Carlos had popularized it a year earlier, 1969 saw its adoption by mainstream acts like the Beatles (on Abbey Road) and its use to soundtrack the Apollo 11 moon landing, cementing its association with futuristic sounds.
• Conceptual Production: The Beatles utilized the eight-track recorder at Abbey Road Studios to create seamless suites of music, such as the side-two medley on Abbey Road, which redefined album structure.
• Rock Operas: The Who released Tommy, one of the first successful “rock operas,” proving that rock music could handle narrative complexity and theatrical scale

Cultural and Live Performance Shifts

• Massive Festivals: Woodstock (August 1969) transformed the “festival” from a small gathering into a massive cultural and political event.
• Global Fusion: The Tropicalia movement in Brazil, led by Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, fused traditional bossa nova with psychedelic rock and political activism.
• Live Albums: The Grateful Dead released Live/Dead, one of the first multi-track live recordings to successfully capture the improvisational energy of a “jam band” session. 

Although it might be assumed that Sly Stone’s Song “I Want To Take You Higher” is a drug song it is actually about taking you musically higher. Wilbert Harrison’s “Let’s Work Together” was covered by Canned Heat (1970), Bryan Ferry ((1976) and George Thorogood (1995). The Beatle’s “Come Together” had an interesting history. Timothy Leary was in need of a campaign song when running against Ronald Reagan for Governor. The song included the line ” here come old flattop” which unfortunately was lifted from Chuck Berry’s automobile song “You Can’t Catch Me” and Berry’s manager sued which was settled out of court.

I got turned on to Sha Na Na after seeing the Woodstock movie. They were so different from all the other artists on the bill. Badfinger were mentored by the Beatles and signed to the Apple label. Funny on my list the their song “Come and Get It” is followed by the aforementioned “Come Together“. King Crimson’s album “In The Court Of The Crimson King” certainly blew my young listening ears into another dimension. Take a listen to the Byrd’s “Deportee” and very sadly hear that nothing has changed in The U.S.A.

Lightnin’ Hopkins (b. 15/03/1912 d. 30.01.1982) as with many old bluesmen he had a resurgence late in his life:

• The Context: By the late 1950s, Hopkins was largely forgotten as rock & roll took over the music scene, and he was struggling, sometimes living in poverty.
• The Discoverer: Mack McCormick sought him out in Houston and helped present him to new audiences, leading to live performances, including his Carnegie Hall debut in 1960.
• The Recordings: Sam Charters recorded Hopkins in his small apartment in 1959, capturing his raw, traditional country-blues style for Folkways, introducing him to a new generation of listeners.
• The Impact: This rediscovery marked the start of a prolific period where Hopkins became a major figure in the folk-blues movement, touring internationally and achieving legendary status. 

Dutch rock band Golden Earring took the psychedelic Byrd’s song “Eight Miles High” and made it into a 19 minute epic. Allen Toussaint wrote and produced many hits for Lee Dorsey, including chart-toppers like “Working in the Coal Mine,” “Get Out of My Life, Woman,” “Ride Your Pony,” “Holy Cow” and Everything I Do Gohn’ Be Funky , resulting in numerous successful singles that defined Dorsey’s career and New Orleans R&B.

The classic Stones’ song “Gimme Shelter” includes the incredible vocals of Merry Clayton which adds the eerily ambience . The song was recorded in London at Olympic Studios in February and March 1969; the vocals were recorded in Los Angeles at Sunset Sound Recorders and Elektra Studios in October and November that same year. Nicky Hopkins played piano, Jimmy Miller played percussion, Charlie Watts played drums, Bill Wyman played bass, Jagger played harmonica and sang backup vocals with Richards and Merry Clayton. Clayton was summoned from bed around midnight by Nitzsche, Clayton – about four months pregnant – made her recording with just a few takes and then returned home to bed. Guitarist Brian Jones was absent during these sessions, Richards being credited with rhythm and lead guitars on the album sleeve. Upon returning home, Clayton suffered a miscarriage, attributed by some sources to her exertions during the recording***. Look up Clayton’s bio and you will be blowin away at how many times you have heard her voice on hit after hit.

The Electric Flag was an American blues/rock/soul band from Chicago, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg (see a Goldberg John Coburn Stewart (September 5, 1939 – January 19, 2008) was an American songwriter and singer. He is known for his contributions to the American folk music movement of the 1960s while with the Kingston Trio (1961–1967) and as a popular music songwriter of the Monkees‘ No. 1 hit “Daydream Believer” and his own No. 5 hit “Gold” during a solo career spanning 40 years that included almost four dozen albums^[1] and more than 600 recorded songssong listed below), and drummer Buddy Miles, and featured various other musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967,following his stint with the Butterfield Blues Band***. Albert King’s Killing Floor is a great remake of the original Howlin’ Wolf song (1964). Interestingly Led Zeppelin’s “Lemon Song” (1969) borrowed heavily from the Wolf’s song. So much so that  it lead to a leading to a lawsuit, and they eventually added Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett) as a co-writer, acknowledging the infringement on a classic blues tune. The song began as a live cover of “Killing Floor,” incorporating lyrics from Robert Johnson’s “Traveling Riverside Blues,” and was settled out of court in 1972, resulting in credited song writing for Burnett. Zeppelin did have a bit of history for not crediting the original artists on some recordings. On January 11, 1985, Willie Dixon sued Led Zeppelin over the song “Whole Lotta Love”, on the grounds that it contained too many similarities to his own song “You Need Love” which was recorded by Muddy Waters in 1962. The lawsuit was settled out of court in Dixon’s favour. Don’t get me wrong I love Led Zeppelin and the blues genre has a history of borrowing from previous performers.

John Stewart (September 5, 1939 – January 19, 2008) is an artist more known for his song-writing. He is known for his contributions to the American folk music movement of the 1960s while with the Kingston Trio (1961–1967) and as a popular music songwriter of the Monkees‘ No. 1 hit “Daydream Believer” and his own No. 5 hit “Gold” during a solo career spanning 40 years that included almost four dozen albums and more than 600 recorded songs.

Nick Drake was a troubled genius who recorded three incredible albums. Five Leaves Left (1969), Bryter Layter (1971) and Pink Moon (1972) before dying way to young. On November 25, 1974, he died in his parents’ home from an overdose of antidepressant medication; suicide has been speculated, although some of his family and friends dispute this. He went largely unknown to the general music public but had a major boost to his back catalogue sales when in 1999, the song “Pink Moon” was used in a Volkswagen commercial, boosting Drake’s US album sales from about 6,000 copies in 1999 to 74,000 in 2000. I would encourage everyone to listen to Drake’s work.

If you know who the Swampers are then congratulations you are a music nerd like myself I was very lucky to visit the Muscle Shoals and Fame studios in Alabama whilst on the trip of a lifetime (The Last Hurrah) with Bernie, Hoff and my wife Wendy. The Swampers, also known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, are a legendary group of session musicians based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. They gained fame for their exceptional talent and distinctive sound that shaped the landscape of popular music in the 1960s and beyond. Formed in the 1960s, the core members of the Swampers included David Hood on bass, Roger Hawkins on drums, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, and Barry Beckett on keyboards. They became renowned for their versatility, contributing to recordings across various genres including R&B, rock, soul, and country. The Swampers are best known for their work at the renowned recording studios, FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. They provided the musical foundation for numerous hits by iconic artists like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul Simon, and many more. Their ability to infuse soulful and rhythmic elements into songs became a hallmark of their sound. Their unique style and tight-knit collaboration led to the creation of unforgettable tracks that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. The Swampers’ influence has left an indelible mark on the music industry, solidifying their place as a vital force in shaping the sound of American popular music. 

I was only 15 in 1969 and I could of sworn that Dutch band Shocking Blue were singing “I’m Your Penis” when in fact it was “I’m Your Venus” on their hit “Venus”. Maybe it had to do with their sultry lead singer Mariska Veres (see photo below)

nineteen and sixty-nine

• (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice – Amen Corner
• (Poor Mi) Israelites – Desmond Dekker and The Aces
• 21st Century Schizoid Man – King Crimson
• A House Is Not A Home – Mavis Staples*
• Ain’t Gonna Bump (With No Big Fat Woman) – Joe Tex
• Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In – The 5^th Dimension
• At The Hop – Sha Na Na
• Atlantis – Donovan*
• Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Barabajagal – Donovan
• Black Dog -Led Zeppelin
• Blues on the Moon – Raful Neal
• Can’t Find My Way Home – Blind Faith
• Carroll County Accident – Bobby & Laurie
• Christine’s Tune – The Flying Burrito Brothers
• Cinnamon Girl – Neil Young & Crazy Horse
• Cissy Strut – The Meters
• Cleanhead Blues – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
• Cocaine Blues – Foreday Riders with Jeannie Lewis
• Come And Get It – Badfinger
• Come Together – The Beatles
• Coming Into Los Angeles – Arlo Guthrie
• Crystal Blue Persuasion – Tommy James and The Shondells
• Crystallization – Cosmic Dealer
• Cummins Prison – Calvin Leavy
• Darling Be Home Soon – Joe Cocker*
• Death of an Electric Citizen – The Edgar Broughton Band
• Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) – The Byrds
• Diggy Liggy Lo – Doug* and Rusty Kershaw
• Dizzy – Tommy Roe
• Do the Funky Chicken – Rufus Thomas
• Do You Know How It Feels – The Flying Burrito Brothers
• Don’t Let Me Down – Dillard & Clark
• Down On The Corner – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Easy on Your Heels – Lightnin’ Hopkins
• Eight Miles High – Golden Earring
• Elegy – Colosseum
• Epitaph – King Crimson
• Every Mother’s Son – Humble Pie
• Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone
• Everything I Do Gohn’ Be Funky (From Now On) – Lee Dorsey
• Fat Mama – Johnny Shines and Big Walter Horton
• Fishin’ Blues – Taj Mahal*
• Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Fotheringay – Fairport Convention
• Frozen Orange Juice – Peter Sarstedt
• Funk #49 – James Gang
• Get Back – The Beatles
• Get In That Swing – Ian A. Anderson
• Get Ready – Rare Earth
• Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ – Crazy Elephant
• Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones*
• Give Me Just a Little More Time – Chairman of The Board
• Give Me One More Shot – JB Lenoir
• Going Down – Moloch
• Goodbye – Mary Hopkins
• Goofer Dust – Big Lucky Carter
• Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Grits And Gravy – The Fame Gang
• Hate To See You Go – Little Walter
• He Made a Woman Out of Me – Bettye Lavette
• Hey Girl – The Town Criers
• Hey, Western Union Man – Max Merritt & The Meters**
• Highway 61 Revisited – Johnny Winter*
• Hot Burrito #1 – The Flying Burrito Brothers
• Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly and The Family Stone
•   Hush – Joe South
• I Got a Line on You – Spirit
• I Scare Myself – Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
• I Talk to the Wind – King Crimson
• I Want to Take You Higher – Sly and The Family Stone
•  I Was Robbed Last Night – The Electric Flag
• In a Moment – The Intrigues
• In the Ghetto – Elvis Presley
• In the Year 2525 – Zager & Evans
• It’s My Thing (Pt. 1) – Marva Whitney
•  It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
• Killing Floor – Albert King
• Lady Sunshine – Tamum Shud*
• Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan
• Let’s Work Together – Wilbert Harrison
•  Light Flight – Pentangle
•  Listen To the Band – The Monkees
•  Little Angel Child – Jimmy Dawkins
• Living With a Lie – Dan Hicks &His Hot Licks
• Man Of the World – Fleetwood Mac*
• Maxwell Street Shuffle – Barry Goldberg
• Melting Pot – Blue Mink
•  Mendocino – Sir Douglas Quintet
•  Miss Ann – Delaney & Bonnie and Friends
• Missouri Bird – John Stewart
• Moaning And Groaning – Johnny Young
•  Monkey Man – Toots & The Maytals
•  Moonshine – Free
• Muscle Shoals Malmo Express – The Swampers
• My Front Pages – Arlo Guthrie
• My Sentimental Friend – Herman’s Hermits
• Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
• No Special Rider – Little Brother Montgomery
• Oh, Happy Day – The Edwin Hawkins Singers
• Oh Well (Pt. 1) – Fleetwood MAc
• Okie From Muskogee – Merle Haggard
• On the Road Again – Furry Lewis
• Peaches en Regalia – Frank Zappa
•  Polk Salad Annie – Tony Joe White*
• Pinball Wizard – The Who
• Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival
•  Rag Picker’s Blues – Mojo Buford*
• Ramble On – Led Zeppelin
•  Reconsider Me – Johnny Adams
• Red Lady – Phil Cordell
• Resurrection Shuffle – Ashton, Gardner & Dyke
• River Man – Nick Drake
• Run Boy, Run – Longbranch/Pennywhistle
•  See That My Grave Is Kept Clean – Furry Lewis
• She Brings the Rain – Can
•  Show Me Home – Chain**
• Shuggie’s Chittlin’ Blues – Shuggie Otis
• Simple Song of Freedom – Tim Hardin
•  Sin City – The Flying Burrito Brothers
• Society Don’t Let Us Down – The Barons
• Someday We’ll Be Together – Diana Ross & The Supremes
• Something In the Air – Thunderclap Newman
• Something – The Beatles
• Space Cowboy – The Steve Miller Band
• Space Oddity – David Bowie
• Spinning Wheel – Phil Upchurch
• Spirit In the Sky – Norman Greenbaum
•  Stand! – Sly and The Family Stone
• Streets of London – Ralph McTell
• Suite: Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Sunlight – The Youngblood’s
• Superlungs My Supergirl – Terry Reid
• Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
• Swampers – The Swampers
• Tecumseh Valley – Towns Van Zandt
• The Ballad of John and Yoko – The Beatles
• The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel*
• The Court of the Crimson King – King Crimson
• The Crawl – Guitar Junior
• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
• The Hook & Sling – Eddie Bo
• The Lemon Song – Led Zeppelin
• The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – The Band
• The Stomp – Ten Years After
• The Thrill Is Gone – B B King*
• The Wind – The Groove
• There’s a Break in the Road – Betty Harris
• Think About Tomorrow Today – Masters Apprentices
• This Girl Is a Woman Now – Gary Puckett & The Union Hap
• This Wheel’s on Fire – Julie Driscoll with Brian Augur
• Thoughts of Polly – Appaloosa
• Time Has Told Me – Nick Drake
• Tired of Waiting – Flock
• Touch Me – The Doors
• Up On Cripple Creek – The Band
• Venus – Shocking Blue
• Vietnam – Jimmy Cliff
• Viva Tirado – El Chicano
• Waiting For the Sun – The Doors
• Walk A Mile in My Shoes – Joe South
• Walk On By – Isaac Hayes
• What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) – Jr. Walker & The Allstars
• Wheels – The Flying Burrito Brothers
• Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? – Peter Sarstedt
• Whipping Post – The Allman Brothers
• Who Knows Where the Time Goes? – Fairport Convention
• Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
• Willie The Pimp – Frank Zappa
• Witchi-Tai-To – Brewer & Shipley
• Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday – Stevie Wonder*
• You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones
• You Should Have Listened to Al – Al Stewart
• You’ve Made Me So Very Happy – Blood Sweat & Tears

*Seen play live ** played at http://www.wowrootsmusic.com ***Wikipedia