1969 Mississippi River Festival
June – July 1969
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville, IL
1969 festival #11
Nearly all the 1969 festivals I’ve written about were two- or three-day events with several performers each day. I do have a piece on the 1969 Forest Hills Music Festival in Queens, NYC, even though it was a summer-long event because so many festival-type rock groups were part of it.
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Southern Illinois University
In 1969, Southern Illinois University initiated the Mississippi River Festival. Though primarily designed as a summer residence for the St Louis Symphony Orchestra (with Walter Susskind the conductor), [a la Tanglewood in Massachusetts featuring the Boston Pop Orchestra] the Mississippi River Festival regularly featured other types of music over its typical two-month (30 dates) run. Not quite the kind of weekend festival featuring several performers each day that typified the most other 1969 festivals, the MRF nonetheless featured many of the same performers who were at those festivals.
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Circus tent
Organizers located the venue inside a custom-made circus tent with seating for approximately 1,900 guests. The tent had one open wall to allow for lawn spectators.
Here is a 14-minute video which mostly covers the early organization of the inaugural season. It features mainly the orchestra.
A Carmina Burana soundtrack backs the video!
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Not Woodstock Ventures
Viewers might find it interesting and amusing to watch how formalized the MRF organizers were compared to those of Woodstock Ventures. These organizers sit a table, coffee cups in front of them, men in jackets and ties, women dressed for “church.
Because it was a two-month season, attendees could purchase a season pass for every show available.
The St Louis Dispatch has a slide show entitled, “Glory Days of the Mississippi River Festival.“
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Grateful Dead
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Great guests
Over the 11-year run of its existence, many other great bands played the Mississippi River Festival, such as, Grateful Dead, the Who, Jimmy Buffett, Yes, Janis Joplin, the Flying Burrito Brothers (in 1970 with Gram Parsons), Joni Mitchell.
Below is a chart with the various rock- or folk-related groups that played in 1969. It is a great selection.
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Dylan out of circulation?
Of special note is July 14. The Band played. It is “common knowledge” that Bob Dylan did not perform at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. And that is true. It is also common knowledge that Bob Dylan’s first public performance following his July 29, 1966 motorcycle accident was at the Isle of Wright event the end of August 1969. Common knowledge? Yes. Accurate? No.
Who came out to play with The Band on their 4-song encore? You guessed it: Bob Dylan. I think that qualifies as a public appearance, don’t you?
1969 Mississippi River Festival
June 23 – July 27, 1969
| Date | Performer | Notes | Paid attendance |
| 6/23 | Buffy Sainte-Marie | 2268 | |
| 6/24 | Modern Jazz Quartet | The Galactic Vision projected a light show on a screen behind MJQ | 1542 |
| 6/26 | Paul Butterfield Blues Band | High winds forced lawn guests to seek shelter | 3449 |
| 7/1 | Janis Joplin | na | |
| Aorta | |||
| 7/7 | Arlo Guthrie |
The National Educational Television Network recorded the concert. |
3753 |
| Joni Mitchell | |||
| 7/10 | Iron Butterfly | 12,735 | |
| Blues Image | |||
| 7/14 | The Band | Bob Dylan came out for the Band’s encore and played four songs with them. This was his first public performance since his July 29,1966 motorcycle accident | 4082 |
| 7/17 | Ian and Sylvia | They called their band the Great Speckled Bird | 2487 |
| 7/21 | New Christy Minstrels | 5711 | |
| 7/22 | Richie Havens | 2753 | |
| Eddie Fisher Trio | The EFT was an East St Louis jazz band | ||
| 7/23 | Joan Baez | 11,052 |
In their 2006 book , The Mississippi River Festival, Amanda Bahr-Evola and Stephen Kerber wrote: To host the symphony, the university created an outdoor concert venue within a natural amphitheater by installing a large circus tent, a stage and acoustic shell, and a sophisticated sound system. To appeal to the widest possible audience, the university included contemporary popular musicians in the series. The audacity of the undertaking, the charm of the venue, the popularity of the artists, the excellence of the performances, and the nostalgic memory of warm summer evenings have combined to endow the festival with legendary status among those who attended. [Edwardsville Intelligencer article about book]
1969 Mississippi River Festival
Next 1969 festival: The Fourth Annual Memphis Country Blues Festival/The First Annual WC Handy Memorial Concert.
Dylan did play one other public performance with the Band in January 1968 for the Woody Guthrie tribute concert. Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, and Odetta were among some of the artist who also performed. This was before the release of Music from Big Pink and I believe the Band was actually billed as the Crackers on one flyer. Dylan and the Band did 3 Guthrie songs which were recorded and are available.
I remember it well . I stayed for the summer quarter at SIU We went a few times to the fest It was a warm day and we left to see the Band. Sitting on the grass listening to there music… walking up close when Dylan came out at the end of the set. It was a time that I’ll never forget. 50 years later seems like yesterday
Thanks for sharing your memory. Love the idea of “walking up close when Dylan” played. Not something that would happen today.
I was an usher at the MRF at SIU Edwardsville the summer of 69. The night the band played, we were told early that we would guarding the stage. After we got in place, Dylan came out and played 3 or 4 songs. It was amazing and unforgetable. The crowd pushed up to the stage but they were not unruly. This was 1969. A totally different world.
I remember. Jonnie and I snuck in. Went to the front near the tent. Eventually, was 6 feet from stage. There she was. Janice Joplin, whiskey in hand. Her voice was guttural,same sound as recorded. A moment not to forget.
Great memory. Thanks for sharing.