Thursday, August 15
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Gather at the Mark Twain Library to celebrate Woodstock’s 55th anniversary!
Rekindle some of the peace and love that made Woodstock a global milestone in American musical and cultural history as Redding’s Ira and Maxine Stone weave live music with storytelling and behind-the-scenes hilarity.
Singers, songwriters and musicians, Ira and Maxine were scheduled to appear at a music and art fair on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm on August 15, 1969, but they became stranded in a field with other acts, including their headliner singer/songwriter Bert Sommer and the Yogi who was to open the concert with a calming benediction. Eventually, they were flown in by helicopter and performed at the seminal event that defined, and named, an entire generation.
During this anniversary celebration, hear the Stone family groove to music by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, as well as originals from Bert Sommer and the Stone family — Ira, Maxine, and their daughter Lyndsay.
We’ll also welcome special guests to talk about their creative projects focusing on Woodstock — Stan Warnow, an award-winning documentarian, and Author Sharon Watts, who will share a zine she created for this occasion.
Woodstock memorabilia and artifacts will be on display. Refreshments served.
Come as you are — or even better, as you were — tie-dye, bell-bottoms, love beads and flowers in your hair!
Featured Performers:
Maxine & Ira Stone — A musical duo who have been writing and performing music since 1967. The couple’s first date was hearing the Vagrants with Leslie West, later of the group Mountain. Max and Ira wrote songs for Leslie, with whom they played a studio session at Electric Lady Studios with Mick Jagger.
In the spring of 1969 Ira answered an ad in The Village Voice placed by Bert Sommer, a co-star in the original Broadway production of Hair. Their first gig with Bert was the Woodstock Festival on August 15th, 1969. In 1970 and ’71, they performed at The Bitter End, Carnegie Hall and the Capitol Theater.
Max and Ira’s first album was released by Roulette Records in 1975. Their studio rhythm section was John Lennon’s band, The Elephant’s Memory. The Stones of Redding travelled and performed in Asia and then set roots and had a family in Redding, where they have lived ever since. In 1997, Ira and Max founded The Stone Band with Rob Fried and Chris Pike and played until 2019.
In 2019, the couple performed with Joe Meo, a multi-instrumentalist, at the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock at the original site, now the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. In addition to the artists at Woodstock ’69, The Stones of Redding have shared bills with Neil Young, Poco, The Allman Brothers Band, Delaney & Bonnie, Yes, John Oates, and others.
Lyndsay Stone — A NYC-based singer/songwriter who has a love for gut-punching lyricism, intricate fingerpicking, and unusual song structures. Her debut folk-rock LP, A Couple Seeds, was released in May 2023 and explores personal and collective change through deeply personal yet relatable poetic narratives. Her instrumental piece, November will be featured at the 2024 at the Boston Short Film Festival and the Southern Texas International Film Festival. Currently pursuing her MSW, Lyndsay performs regularly in New York City and has toured intimate venues across the country. Her album, EP, singles, and music videos can be found on all social media platforms. www.lyndsaystone.com
Rob Fried — A singer/songwriter, bassist, producer, philanthropist, radio talk show host and architect/founder of the successful live-themed concert series Band Central. Founded in 2005, Band Central is a private philanthropic organization whose mission is to help local nonprofits in Connecticut maximize their revenue potential. Band Central’s mission to combine philanthropy and music is reflected in its mantra: ‘Show up, get down and do good’. Rob also performs with Bone Dry and the CT Grateful Dead Allstars.
Special Guests:
- Sharon Watts — Author of an illustrated memoir on Woodstock and an upcoming book on Bert Sommer.
- Stan Warnow — Award-winning documentarian and editor of some of the most iconic Woodstock ’69 footage
Registration is full for this event.