Administrators sam_webmaster Posted September 13, 2011 Administrators Share Posted September 13, 2011 Texas International Pop Festival In Lewisville to Receive a State Historical Marker By Robert Wilonsky | Dallas Observer | Tue., Sep. 13 2011 Longtime Friends of Unfair Park are by now well aware of my lifetime obsession with the Texas International Pop Festival, held during Labor Day weekend in 1969 in a Lewisville field. The roster, put together by, among others, Angus Wynne, was legendary: Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Ten Years After, Santana, Johnny Winter, Sly and the Family Stone. For starters. It was North Texas's Woodstock -- a place where, as The New York Times noted, "more than 25,000 youthful rock fans gathered in a grassy drag strip ... to shout, clap and groove on the music and each other." Far out. Richard Hayner, keeper of the Texas International Pop Festival website, has long been trying to commemorate the site or the event with a historical marker. I've just been informed that he was successful: The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized the Texas International Pop Festival as a significant part of Denton County history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held Saturday, October 1, at 10 a.m. at the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) Hebron Station in the 900 block of Lakeside Circle in Lewisville. The dedication is free and open to the public. ================================================= PRESS RELEASE: OFFICIAL TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER DEDICATION FOR TEXAS INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL SET FOR OCTOBER 1 Photo by Mike Porter In 1969, Lewisville, a small farm town of approximately 9,000 residents, was the site of a music festival that attracted 150,000 hippies, bikers and music lovers Robert Plant at the Texas International Pop Festival LEWISVILLE, TX - It was 1969 when Lewisville, a small farm town of approximately 9,000 residents, became the site of a music festival that attracted 150,000 hippies, bikers and music lovers. As a result of that momentous event, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized the Texas International Pop Festival as a significant part of Denton County history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held Saturday, October 1, at 10 a.m. at the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) Hebron Station in the 900 block of Lakeside Circle in Lewisville. The dedication is free and open to the public. The 1969 event's original stage was located near the area where DCTA's Hebron Station recently opened. The Dallas International Motor Speedway, which had opened in July 1969, was the site of the three-day event held 42 years ago on Labor Day weekend. The Texas International Pop Festival is the first event that has been recognized with a state marker in Denton County. To qualify for a marker, events must have happened at least 30 years ago. Richard Hayner, sponsor of the THC 2010 subject marker application, attended the pop festival when he was 16 years old. During the dedication, the Denton County Historical Commission will present certificates of commendation for efforts that led to the placement of the marker recognizing Hayner along with Andie Jones, Swan Song, Soul Sacrifice, Piece of My Heart, Johnny Nitzinger, Bill Winter, Angus G. Wynne III, Ed Cullum and Randy James. Wynne, a partner in the Dallas-based concert promotion company, Showco, asked Atlanta Pop Festival promoter Alex Cooley to join him in promoting the Texas International Pop Festival. The Atlanta Pop Festival was held in Hampton, Georgia, the weekend of July Fourth in 1969. On August 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair began near Bethel, New York. The Texas festival featured 25 musical acts. In Hayner's historical narrative submitted to THC, he wrote: "The festival opened with an unknown band named Grand Funk Railroad. The line-up included rock and roll and rhythm and blues. B.B. King played all three days. Other blues acts were present such as Johnny Winter, The James Cotton Blues Band, Canned Heat, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, and Freddie King. Rhythm and blues was represented by Sam & Dave and Sly & The Family Stone. Rock and blues crossover acts Rotary Connection, Ten Years After and Janis Joplin tied the genre together. Jazz was represented by flutist Herbie Mann, and even a bit of Cajun sound was made by Tony Joe White. Mainstream rock music was represented by Chicago Transit Authority, Spirit, Santana, Nazz, Sweetwater and an up-and-coming blockbuster band from England named Led Zeppelin." In addition, a free stage was constructed at a public campground at Lewisville Lake, which was five-and-one-half miles north of the festival grounds at the motor speedway. Each evening the campground attracted thousands of festival campers. Local bands performed on the free stage along with some of the big name acts after playing the main stage. Famous icon of the 60s, Wavy Gravy, acquired his moniker at the free stage. == Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Background on this development: http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/12608-69-texas-international-pop-festival-historical-marker-benefit-book/page__p__434951__hl__%2Brichard+%2Bhayner__fromsearch__1#entry434951 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 That's pretty cool. A real historic festival with an awesome lineup. Thanks Sam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedZep342 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Nice recollection of the Festival... I like the photo of Percy as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reids Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 thanks, Sam and Steve. R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitchin Soul Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Congratulations Richard.....great job. I will put it on my calendar. Maybe RP will show up....rumor is he is living in Austin or maybe permanently visiting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I will put it on my calendar. Maybe RP will show up....rumor is he is living in Austin or maybe permanently visiting Someone please post a picture of the marker, once it's unveiled. I think it would be more likely for Janis Joplin to show up at this event, than Mr. R P. But IF Robert could appear, in a time warp, here is what the unveiling ceremony might look like: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 THE MARKER INSCRIPTION TEXAS INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL THE TEXAS INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL TOOK PLACE NEAR THIS SITE DURING LABOR DAY WEEKEND, 1969. IT WAS HELD TWO WEEKS AFTER THE WOODSTOCK MUSIC AND ART FAIR INTRODUCED MUCH OF MAINSTREAM AMERICA TO THE “HIPPIE” CULTURE BY WAY OF NEWS REPORTS OF THE CHAOS THAT OCCURRED THERE IN PART DUE TO RAINY WEATHER AND LAX SECURITY. THE TEXAS FESTIVAL BROUGHT AS MANY AS 150,000 HIPPIES, BIKERS AND MUSIC LOVERS TO LEWISVILLE, WHICH AT THE TIME HAD A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 9,000 CITIZENS. THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SPEEDWAY, SITUATED ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 35 SOUTH OF TOWN, WAS CHOSEN AS THE LOCATION FOR THE EVENT. TWENTY-FIVE MUSICAL ACTS, REPRESENTING THE GENRES OF SOUL, BLUES AND ROCK AND ROLL PERFORMED DURING THE THREE DAYS OF THE FESTIVAL. ACTS INCLUDED JANIS JOPLIN, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY, HERBIE MANN AND A RELATIVELY UNKNOWN UNITED KINGDOM BAND CALLED LED ZEPPELIN. ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LEWISVILLE, A PUBLIC CAMPGROUND SITUATED ON THE SHORES OF LEWISVILLE LAKE SERVED THE THOUSANDS OF FESTIVAL ATTENDEES. A SMALL “FREE STAGE” WAS CONSTRUCTED AT THE CAMPGROUND AND LOCAL BANDS WERE BROUGHT IN TO PERFORM FOR THE CAMPERS. THE SKINNY-DIPPING IN LAKE LEWISVILLE THAT RESULTED FROM THE LACK OF SHOWER FACILITIES AND THE LATE-SUMMER HEAT DREW MUCH ATTENTION. MANY LOCALS DEMANDED THAT THE FESTIVAL BE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE AND UNSAVORY ACTIVITY, BUT THERE WERE NO ACTS OF VIOLENCE REPORTED AT THE FESTIVAL. HOWEVER, AREA CITIZENS WERE INTRODUCED TO A CULTURE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FOREIGN TO THEM AND MANY WHO ATTENDED LOOK BACK ON THE FESTIVAL AS A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT. (2010) MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Thanks for this The Rover. Pretty standard writeup although, I thought the locals would want the festival shutdown not because of possible lewd activity (as they said), but because of the noise level. Not sure how close local residences were to here. Being a motoe speedway it may have been a bit of a distance, due to the loudness of race cars from races that occurred here rather frequently, I would guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Thanks for this The Rover. Pretty standard writeup although, I thought the locals would want the festival shutdown not because of possible lewd activity (as they said), but because of the noise level. Not sure how close local residences were to here. Being a motoe speedway it may have been a bit of a distance, due to the loudness of race cars from races that occurred here rather frequently, I would guess. SuperDave, I visited the Motor Speedway once, while it was still in operation. (Unfortunately, not in late August of 1969, but several years later.) They were having pro drag racing the day I was there. I do not think noise was an issue, at that location, at that time. What I remember most were the very buxom gals holding up signs up over their heads before each race. I don't remember what the signs said, as I wasn't looking at the signs... I re-visited the speedway several years after it had closed, and there were grass and weeds growing up through all of the cracks in the pavement and asphalt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Thanks Rover for more info. Certainly, didn't think you'd be looking at the signs. Certainly wondered what became of this place and now I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 For the Record, here's the link to the Texas Historical Commission Site, with the Pop Festival Marker entry: http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5507017026&site_name=Texas+International+Pop+Festival&class=5000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Historian Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused comes in around 47 min. 30 sec. this is the most footage Ive seen of the Festival so far, with other bands as well. Looks like the same type of filming as the Woodstock movie. Enjoy!!! http://youtu.be/EVeFm_Ns3nk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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