http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/life/lifeview.asp?c=261921&topStory=1
Friday, October 23, 2009
By Stephanie Minasian
The shores of Lake Amador and the hills surrounding it were swarmed
with hippies during one warm October weekend 40 years ago, when an
estimated 40,000 people flocked to Amador County from all over the
country to experience love, peace and good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll.
The Gold Rush Rock Festival of 1969 gave Amador County a taste of
Woodstock, and attracted thousands of music-loving, free-spirited
hippies from all of the western states - even as far away as
Washington, D.C. - to Lake Amador to experience a rock holiday and
see legendary musical acts such as Santana, Ike and Tina Turner, Taj
Mahal, Kaleidoscope and Bo Diddley. The Sacramento Union reported in
October 1969 that about 40,000 rock fans gathered in the fields
around Lake Amador, but reported that only 20,000 were expected to
show up. Tickets cost $3.50 at the gate, but it was suspected that
thousands of hippies were able to sneak into the festival for free.
Amador County resident Gene Buckley was a senior in high school when
the festival rocked the county. He remembers the long string of cars
honking their horns and being backed up on Buena Vista Road to park
in the 700-acre parking lot. Despite an extra 20,000 unexpected
concert-goers, Buckley said that there was very little police
inspection in order to gain entrance into the festival. He and his
buddies snuck into the concert, along with the other thousands who
did not pay for their tickets.
"Back then, the county didn't have a lot of police," Buckley said.
"They (Amador County) had no idea how many people would show up. We
drove in the back way."
The sheriff of Amador County at the time, Joseph Martin, mentioned to
the Sacramento Union in 1969 that he was anticipating trouble at the
festival and put in an advance order for reinforcements - including
the National Guard. Despite the massive number of music fans that
showed up at the lake, the county law enforcement reported to the
Sacramento Union that the crowds were surprisingly well-behaved.
"Everyone was friendly," Buckley remembered. "There was no need for
police." He also said that one of the major issues the county had
with the festival was that it would attract uncontrolled people to the county.
"Amador County didn't want to remember it because it let
drug-infested hippies come into the county," Buckley said.
The hippies came dressed in typical hippie-frocks - including
serapes, chino pants and even donning nothing at all. It was reported
by the Union that more than 50 free-spirited hippies stripped down to
their birthday suits and swam to the small island in the lake, where
they perched together to listen to the music.
Deborah Budrick was 17 years old when she and two friends ventured to
Lake Amador to see the rock festival everyone was talking about.
"It was pretty busy," Budrick recalled. "Three of us girls hopped in
a car, brought sleeping bags and set out to stay the night." She said
she recalls a wide variety of people attending - all coming together
to enjoy the music.
"I remember the music was good," she said. "My friend had told me
about it and said that there was going to be great music, and I was
available to go." Budrick and her friends didn't end up staying the
entire weekend, but spent one night to enjoy the music.
Reminiscent of the Woodstock concert in New York the same year, drugs
played an integral part at the Gold Rush Rock Festival. A journalist
from the Sacramento Bee in 1969 reported that the air was hazy with
marijuana smoke that was mixed with the dust kicked up by thousands
of sandal-wearing youths. To prevent fires from sparking due to the
dry scrub brush surrounding the area, state forestry officials had
burned out weeds before the festival, according to an article from the Union.
It was also reported by the Union that there were at least two people
who were taken to a nearby hospital in Jackson to be treated for drug
overdoses. About six concert-goers were also found to be under the
influence of alcohol. Although the sponsor of the festival had
prohibited the use of alcohol on its grounds, Buckley remembers that
red wine flowed heavily through the concert-goers. Those suffering
from bad LSD "trips" were given shots of a tranquilizer by an on-site doctor.
James Hackworth was 22 years old when he and his wife and two kids
ventured to Lake Amador for the weekend of music and recalls the
camaraderie and good time they had.
"I remember looking over a sea of people and everyone was really
happy and full of enthusiasm," remembered Hackworth. "The music was
the catalyst that drew us together. It really was a time of believing
in love and peace for humanity."
Even though 40 years have passed since the festival shook the
foothills with rock 'n' roll, those who attended remember it as a
peaceful, hip and huge historical event for the county - when the age
of Aquarius took over the Mother Lode.
"It is part of Amador County history," Buckley said.
.
9 comments:
Yes, we were there. It was a great day. My memory is somewhat hazy because of time, but what I do remember is that it was a pleasant time with great music and good friends. I remember the Ike-ettes (sp) were dressed very provocatively in wide knitted mini dresses. We went swimming in the lake and generally had a good time. I’m wondering if there are any pictures that are still around. I do remember a group of people with what looked like a professional cameras taking pictures in the audience. I was 19 at the time. I’m 60 now. I would love to hear others recollections.
I was also there. I was 17 and a senior in high school at Lodi High. Lots of Lodi people there. I met up with friends who were already there. I don't know how I ever found them, but I did. I remember Ike and Tina and Bo Diddly. There was LOTS to smoke. I don't remember much, but I remember it was fun.
I was in highschool in Calaveras County when this festival happened. It was like the West Coast's Woodstock and it was great! My best memory was sitting around a campfire with Bo Diddly, Taj Mahal and Carlos Santana, who had wandered out into the crowd for a look around.
My friend Steve i were seniors at Lodi High and spent 2 great days getting stoned and swimming naked in the lake. I remember thinking that life could not get much better and I was right. I don't remember everything, time has seen to that but the things I do remember are as sharp as if they happend yesterday. I remember standing in the lake and looking back at the shore and thinking I and world would never quite be the same. Later that same year Steve I went to the Stones free concert at the Altamont Raceway which sounded the death knell for rock festivals and probably for the 1960'S that some of remember so fondly.
I still have the original GOLD RUSH Festival placard ... Only $3:00 on the placard ... Nice little piece of history ... I wish I had a way to share it with you ... ... ... Kenishiwa
We arrived just as Tina Turner began to sing " I Been Loving You Too Long" It was very much the "hippie" concert experience! Had a great time.
The show was put on by Doc Davis, a botany prof at San Joaquin Delta College. Some of us students handed out posters all over NoCal for weeks before the show. It was a fantastic couple of days, Bo Diddly and The Duchess got the whole crowd up and dancing, The Sons were the best I ever saw them, Cold Blood was in top form and Santana finished with a truly awesome set.. whew!
I was 16 years old in Stockton junior high school when this festival took place. My friends parents had a food booth at the concert. We left Stockton in a 1949 Studebaker we traded for a Schwinn 10 speed bicycle. The car made it to Hwy 99 and Waterloo Rd. before it broke down. We hitchhiked the rest of the way. When we arrived we easily snuck into the concert. I must have been sharing the same campfire with Chester (previous poster) as I remember passing homemade soapstone peace pipe (complete with feathers) to Carlos Santana and Carlos saying "this is out of sigh,did you make it?" What memories!
I will never remember this concert! Just kidding - I went there with several friends, dropped orange sunshine and had the best time of my life. Will never forget all the hippies skinny-dipping and my boyfriend saying "don't do it, it's going to get cold tonight." I remember the Hell's Angels showing up. I remember Taj Mahal, Ike & Tina, being young and thinking I was in heaven. I'm so happy to find all this info on this concert that I thought had been lost.
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