Richie quickly gained a reputation for his genuine, energetic performances in the Village, interpreting others’ songs and interspersing his own compositions. He also made lasting friendships and connections with the other singer/songwriters and industry insiders. He taught himself to play guitar to accompany the poetry he was writing, and began playing at Café Wha? and other Village clubs, often playing multiple sets at multiple clubs each night. He drew portraits of the tourists in the Village by day, and he frequented the coffeehouses and clubs by night. He was attracted to the creative atmosphere of Greenwich Village, with its Beat poets, comedians, musicians, and artists, and in 1961 he made the move. His parents instilled in him a love of music, and in his teens, he formed and nurtured several doo-wop groups that regularly performed on street corners and local talent competitions. Richie Havens grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Richie, Deano, and Daniel had been flown in by helicopter, and their setup was minimal, so festival organizers urged them to take the stage. The time for the festival to start had come and gone, all the roads leading to the festival were hopelessly congested with cars and people, and the audience was getting restless. Medley: Strawberry Fields Forever/Hey Jude.From the Prison/Get Together/From the Prison.Daniel “Natoga” Ben Zebulon: percussion, congas.Bethel Woods Collection, a gift of Doug Lenier) Richie Havens Band Members Performed Friday afternoon, August 15, 5:00–5:45 p.m.ĭeano Williams, Richie Havens, and Daniel Ben Zebulon on-stage at Woodstock (Photo by Doug Lenier. Richie Havens wasn’t scheduled to be the opening act of the Woodstock festival, but, in retrospect, it is hard to imagine anyone else doing it.Ĭelebrating the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival, August 1969–2019 Day One, Performer One: Richie Havens

Richie havens mixed bag rar