‘Woodstock Then and Now’ takes readers behind the scenes of the festival that defined a generation

Berklee music historians preserve the iconic event through first-person accounts in new book from Clemson University Press.

“1969—I was 11 and although I fashioned myself quite mature, I was still too young to attend Woodstock. I feel like I did attend it though from the music and movies and footage and now, most importantly, this definitive text. A summer of love and learning and a miracle of the changing times presented by the people that made it.” — Jamie Lee Curtis

“If you ever wanted to get the ‘inside’ scoop on what happened at Woodstock then you have to read this book. It will transport you to the actual days of the formation of the concerts and give you a great idea of the complexity of the festival.” — Graham Nash

More than five decades after the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, fans and historians alike revisit the three-day festival to better understand the transformational decade. To commemorate the festival, Berklee College of Music hosted a weeklong 50^th anniversary event, which included panels and events with Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang; emcee, stage, and lighting designer Chip Monck; photographers Henry Diltz and Elliott Landy; sound designer Bill Hanley; public relations officer Rona Elliot; and Gerardo Velez, percussionist for Jimi Hendrix. These transcripts are now available for the first time in Clemson University Press’s most recent title, Woodstock Then and Now. 

Edited by Berklee College of Music’s Alex Ludwig, assistant professor, and Simone Pilon, dean of Academic Affairs for the Valencia, Spain campus, the book provides insider access to behind-the-scenes happenings of one of music history’s most iconic events. “Woodstock Then and Now is a tremendous resource on the historical and artistic significance of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair five decades after the event,” said Ludwig. “I am so proud to be a part of such an important book that not only examines the way Woodstock changed the American musical landscape, but also celebrates its ongoing legacy well into today.”

The book is currently available online for $39.95 through Clemson University Press and other major retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

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Clemson University Press: Established in 2000, Clemson University Press has expanded in recent years, adding approximately twenty-five books and journal issues per annum to its strong backlist of more than a hundred titles. In 2014, the Press entered into a partnership with Liverpool University Press, an award-winning publisher of distinguished scholarship since 1899. Through this strategic international partnership, the Press is a global ambassador for Clemson University (an R1 classified, top-25 public university), distributing increasingly diverse and impactful scholarship worldwide. Our ambitious publishing program continues to highlight the rigorous standard of critical and creative output from Clemson and further distinguishes the University as a center for research and culture. All of Clemson’s publications enjoy the highest standards through external review and appraisal by an editorial advisory board comprised of Clemson faculty. Learn more at clemson.edu/press.

Berklee College of Music: Berklee is the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its campuses in Boston, Massachusetts and Valencia, Spain, and through its award-winning distance-learning program, Berklee Online. Dedicated to nurturing the creative and career potential of the world’s most inspired artists, Berklee’s commitment to arts education is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni—hundreds of whom have been recognized with Grammy, Tony, Oscar, and Emmy Awards. At Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, students explore interdisciplinary approaches to music, dance, theater, film, business, healthcare, education, technology, and more. Our pioneering youth programs reach underserved classrooms throughout the U.S. and beyond. With students and alumni from more than 100 nations and educational partners across the world, we are forging new connections among art forms, musical traditions, and technologies to build a dynamic, diverse, and collaborative global arts community. Learn more at berklee.edu.