Subj: TEXAS INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL
Date: 10/31/2003 6:35:52 PM Central Standard Time
Just thought I'd try and pull up the ol festival and lol and behold I found your web site. What an experience for
a kid who turned 15 on 8-31-69 blown out of my mind by some mood altering substance.......I can still remember
the first night when Canned Heat played until 5 in the morning. People as far as 25 miles away complained that's
why they shut down so early the second night. It was the boogie. Grand Funk, Ten Years After, everybody it was
great and somethiong I will remember all my life. Thanks for the photos and keeping my memories alive. Still have
my poster but alas like the one you have on your web site it is not the original. The original had Crosby, Stills,
and Nash as showing up. When they cancelled they changed the poster.....alas a frien has a bootleg cd of Led Zepplin
playing at the festival..........
Were you at the Texas International Pop Festival?
Do you have stories about it? How about photographs or memorabilia?
Do you know someone who was or does?
Share it with the world.
We're writing a book about the festival and would love to hear from you.
Email us at middlesea@earthlink.net and share a little bit of the love
with the world.
Peace
Paul, just a quick note to let you know how much I enjoyed seeing your
take on TIPF today. The letters and links were all great to explore, but
for me your excellent color photography was the most interesting, there
being very little available documentation in that area. Hope to talk
to you when I have a little more time.
Best regards,
Angus Wynne
[ Mr.Wynne was one of the organizers responsible for creating the Texas International Pop Festival
! ]
Hey Paul,
Sorry it took so long to get back to you.
Yeah I was one of the TPF minions. That weekend set me on a course that
kept me in the music business for the next 17 years. I was 19 and a
couple of buddies and I were at Lake Lewisville diving off of the train
trestle and swimming, some hippie hitchhiker came by and decided to join
us. After a while he asked where the Texas Motor Speedway was,
we told him we were going that way and gave him a lift. When we got
there we found around 50 people in the parking lot and Angus Wynne was
speaking. We got out of the car and just listened to what was coming
down. Eventually Angus pointed to the group I was in and designated us
as the "Barrel Crew" (trash barrels). We got hired for the Festival and
didn't even know there was going to be a Festival. We told Angus that we
needed to go back home and get a few things, he said fine but be back
before sundown.
The rest is a long story that I'll be glad to recount if
you like but in short, we so impressed Angus with our Barrel handling
that he asked what else we could do, I told him I was an artist and he
gave me some bucks to go get supplies and start painting.
Sadly I did not take any pictures from the festival but I was hired to
handle the chores for the Second Atlanta Pop Festival as well as a few
lesser events over the next two years.
I still have my "backstage" badge and "All Access" badge. I've got some
nice stories to tell about the preformers, the media, the Lewisville
City Council and Chief of Police as well as the backstage goings on if
you'd like to hear them.
I eventually started my own concert sound company called Dallas Backup
and worked with touring groups until I sold my interest in the company
in 86 and got back into being an artist. Today I head up the Internet
division for MXGroup(.com) in Dallas.
Send any emails to the address associated with this letter, I rarely
check my email at home.
I still see Angus from time to time so I'll pass on your website and see
if he wants to play!
Jim Smith
[ I asked Jim to put down his thoughts and memories on the Texas International Pop Festival. His perspective would be from a different view point. He not only wrote down his memories but created a new web site for you to enjoy!
The internet never ceases to amaze me. A friend that I was with at the
festival sent me a link to your site. Brought back some great
memories. Great pictures and it is so nice to see the poster again.
Since you like diving I am going to send you a link that my friend and I
are working on. Maybe you have already been on St. John if not I am
sure you would like it.
Thanks for making me smile.
Enjoyed your page; I'm from Lewisville, it was an amazing Labor Day
weekend. I was down front one night, also, we were probably in close
proximity to each other. Did you eat watermelon at the lake, provided by
the Hog Farm?
Peace, Man.
Just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed your page.
My husband and I lived in Lewisville at the time and at the age of 19 was expecting my first child and did not
get to go, but we did make a point to drive by.
The International Speedway was torn down many years ago. [a later email states...."There are alot of retail
business where the speedway used to be."]
Vista Ridge Mall now is located across the freeway from where the speedway was located.
I lived in Lewisville from 1969 til 1995. I now live in a nearby city and still have family there.
Great photos on a great site. Thanks. Lots of fond memories from that
festival. Born in New Mexico, grew up in Houston, Texas. I spent that
summer ('69) in California preparing for Junior College out there. Grew
lonely for my girlfriend and when she said she had 2 tickets for the
Texas fest I caught a flight out of L.A. to Dallas the day before the
festival began. On that flight with me were Delaney, Bonnie and Friends
and Sly and the Family Stone. As soon as the "No Smoking" signs went off
one of the band members lit up a joint and started passing it around.
The stewardesses went nuts. Finally got them to put it out. The old lady
sitting next to me said she thought pot should be legal. I got a real
chuckle out of it.
Spent the days on a blanket with my girlfriend in the middle of the huge
crowd listening to music and watching all the weirdness going on around
us. Natch we missed some acts because we were engaged in some serious
lip locks at times. Drank a lot of wine, and consumed other items that
altered my consciousness some. Whew.
We camped near the lake and went to the free stage at night. Favorite
memory, aside from Led Zeppelin's set, was the night that two cowpoke
types, shirtless but still in their jeans and cowboy hats, arm wrestled
on the Free Stage under a strobe light while the band played "God Bless
America." Someone had dosed the cowpokes with Orange Sunshine and they
were buzzing mightily. It was all in all one Hell of a weekend. I took
some photos, but all my stuff was black and white because I liked
working with it better than color so it was really great to see your
color shots. Thanks. I'm searching out stuff on that festival because it
is one of the events I plan to place on the music page I'm building for
my web site re-do. I'll be sure and put a link to your page there.
--
Sincerely,
Jim Culberson
jim@creativesourcing.net
Howdy Paul,
Go right on ahead and post my letter. That is fine with me. You can post
my name and email address with it as I'd be happy to hear from others
who are interested. I'll let you know when I get the page up with your
link on it. The attached photo is one I took of Hendrix at the Houston
Music Hall in 1967. Yeah, I know it's blurry, but it was shot without a
strobe in rather dim light and I might have been a tad unsteady when I
took it.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Jim
jim@creativesourcing.net
Thanks for the quick response on my e-mail. I tried to follow the links you sent, but I'm not an AOL customer,
so they didn't work for me. If you have the time to send the actual addresses, I would love to follow them. I came
across your page after expressing interest to my sister about "re-assembling" my musical youth in Texas
back then (I'm 46 and in the retail music business in Tulsa, Ok.) She suggested I try a search with the subject
(why didn't I think of that?). Most of what I pulled up with searches was bootleg lists, especially Zeppelin. That
was a great show, and my first time to try the legendary "orange barrels". I wouldn't mind at all if
you reprinted my letters. It was also a very special time for me. Seeing the poster again really brought it back
for me! I remember waking up the third day with a TIPF t-shirt on, not remembering having bought it (what a night!).
If you can ever get copies of any of the video footage, I would greatly enjoy seeing them. By the way, your sight
has to be the only one listed with any info other than recordings for sale or trade. I also went to the Showco
site (the dominant sound production company back then, and still...), but there is little mention of any thing
in the sixties. In the meantime, I'll try to find out the name of the racetrack (it was actually a drag strip as
I remember) and it was in Lewisville. I guess that was the closest place to Dallas with a large enough space. It
was very close to Lake Dallas. But I never heard it called the Lewisville Pop Festival. Were you there the day
the mayor of Lewisville got on stage and spoke to the crowd? He had nothing but positive coments about the music
and the crowd, although he had gotten "dosed" previous to that. All in all it was a fantastic three days!
Well, I've rambled on enough. I'll look forwars to hearing from you again. Thanks a ton.
I did some initial snooping around on the Internet to see what I could find on the Texas Pop Festival. Directly,
not much. However, if you look the bands up that played at the Festival, you sometimes will find some tidbits.
I did see the Texas International Pop Festival video listed on some boot lists.
**********
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You might poke around on some of the above links and see if you find anything
of interest.
Do you know where the Dallas International Speedway is or was located
sometime in the past. The poster says that this is where the festival was held.
Notice the fine print says the event was located 12 mile north of Dallas on highway
35East. I just remember a unpaved parking lot and the fenced area for the
concert. I do not remember any racing area or bleachers, but I was not the
one driving. I searched the Internet and found no listing for the Dallas
International Speedway, but I found a listing for Texas International
Speedway. The onsite map showed a camping area in one corner. I am
wondering if the present Texas International Speedway is what was the Dallas
International Speedway? You may have an idea what could have been the Dallas
International Speedway.
I wrote the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce with the above questions, but got
no response.
Another reader told me of a video of the festival. It shows Wavy Gravy, head
of the Hog Farm commune walking along the banks of Lake Lewisville talking
into a bull horn trying to get the swimmers to comply with local authorities in
order to maintain harmony. I did not know this video existed until one
reader said so. He said its quality is very poor because it is a copy of who knows
how many copies.
However, it does give the favor of the festival. It also has another film
on it, the Isle of Wright Pop Festival. Since you are interested in the pop festival of this era, here is part of
the letter describing the video:
*********************
The video I have has two items on it. The Texas
International Pop Festival at 1 hour 28 minutes and the Isle of Wright 1970
Festival ( off the southern coast of England) at 1 hour 32 minutes. These
are in VHS format. The Texas festival was duplicate at the SLP speed and
the Isle of Wright was duplicated at SP speed. The Isle of Wright portion is
not quite complete. There seemed to be a conflict between those who had
purchased tickets and those who thought they should be able to get in free.
I would have liked to see how this conflict ended.
The quality of the video is very poor, but you definitely get a feel for the
Pop Festival Hippie Era. For the musicians listed on the Texas Pop Festival
appearing on the video is:
Janis Joplin, Led Zepplin, Chicago, Sweetwater, Tony Joe White, Santana,
Grand Funk Railroad, Delaney and Bonnie, Sly and the Family Stone, B.B.
King, Johnny Winters, Ten Years After, James Cotton, Spirit, Canned Heat, The
Incredible String Band, and Rotary Connection.
The video has the musical acts though not announced individually in the
video. You would have to know what the bands looked like and sounded like
to identify them. The video has general festival scenes.
****************
Another reader told me that B.B. King gave "Wavy Gravy" his name at this
concert.
From these letters information has been added to the original article. The photo of the poster was sent to me by someone who had it. He was only two years old when the festival happened. Someone gave him the poster. When he was researching student co-ops, he came across my article and realized what I was writing about was the Texas International Pop Festival and the poster he had pertained to what I was writing about.
The original title of my article was "Lewisville Pop Festival." I had not know the real name was Texas International Pop Festival. When I saw the poster photo, I changed the name of the article. You can see I was reallyalong for the ride back then. I did not know where I was going. I was going because my friend said let's go.
This pop festival was on a Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30, 31, and Sept. 1. If you look at the poster, it says it was held at the Dallas International Speedway. I am trying to find out if this is now the Texas International Speedway. The postersays "Free Camping." On the website for Texas International Speedway, a map shows a camping area.
Here is part of a letter I sent someone telling him what the fine print of the poster said. From the information below determine just where in Lewisville I was, if you can, and is there a race tracking existing today where the festival was held and if so, what is the name of the race track
today?
**********************
* SOUND Y HANLEY
* LIGHTS BY ELECTRIC COLLAGE
* 6.00 PER DAY ADVANCE -- $7.00 AT GATE -- 3-DAY WEEKEND ADV. BOOK --
$18.00
* MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO "POP TICKETS" - P.O. BOX 2051, DALLAS TEXAS
75221
* 1969(c) International POP Festivals Inc. 1447 Peachtree St. ATL. Ga. /
ALL PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
* 12 MILES NORTH OF DALLAS ON I.35 EAST
and the design credit: "LANCE BRAGG 69"
Thanks again for the information on Akumal and the pop festival. I'd heard
about the Lewisville Pop Festival from a friend of mine. He was talking with
someone about Santana coming to Dallas and she said that she'd seen Santana
in 1969 in Lewisville. It was the first he'd heard about it and he told me.
I've since informed him of your website and he's going to try to get the
email address of the lady he first heard about this from. I'll try to get
you in touch with her. Since she was there all three days, she could
probably help you with more info on the location, etc. By the way, the Texas
Speedway is a new track that was built a couple of years ago. There's a
Texas Motorplex but its in Ennis. I'm not sure about this Dallas
International Speedway.
I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks again for your help!
Found your very interesting festival report via Altavista.
Thanks for this great site!
Just came in from a second hand record shop with a CD of
Ten Years After's concert recorded at the above mentioned event.
Guess you know that there had been 10 CDs/LPs released
from various bands performing at Texas Pop 1969
in 1992 by Luxembourg (bootleg) company OH BOY.
TYA is no.2.
I have a favour to ask you : You mentioned SPIRIT -
did you took any pictures from this band at Texas Pop 1969?
(I'm a 'longtime fan' for about 29 years)
An interview I did a short while back with a singer, Leeann Atherton, here in Austin you might find of interest. She grew up around the sixties time frame. She went to Atlanta Pop Festival, I am guessing in July 1969. She mentioned that she saw Grand Funk Railroad. In looking up this group on the Internet, one report said it got its start at the Atlanta Pop festival in July 1969. I noticed the promoters of the Texas festival were located in Atlanta. I bet it is same company that put on both festivals. Anyway, if you want to see the interview, go to:
https://web.archive.org/web/20090803113310/http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/2737/leebio.htm
I think that the texas moter spee way of now is not the same one.
lewsvill is between dallas and denton. I think the grounds are now
defunct. I was down ther a year ago playn the guitar etc. I wil check
on that when i get back from dc. by the way where are you?
Hi paul, I tried to run away to go to that festivel , I was 12 at the
time. I have since become a mucical historin of sorts. aand a writer of
songs etc. tyhe blong lady with the saxes is probabaly bonnie
bramlett.
I realy enjoyed your page. I would like to find a copy of the cd from
the concert, anywway thanks. I looked real close at the ghost riders
as i grew up in a town right down the road from them in arlington.
thanx
Thanx for sharing your wonderful photo's to remind me of what a great time I had there. I did all three days & wonder why I have a brain left. I have audio tapes of Janis, CTA & Led Zeppelin from this great event, if you are interested. Please let me know if you know of other audio out there.
I was two years old at the time, so if I did go, I didn't remember it. :)
About five years or six years ago, a friend of mine gave me the poster.
I believe she did go. I had the poster framed and hung it up. When I
saw your site, I realized it was from the same event, so I snapped the
photo with my digital camera and then sent it to you.
Hello ,I just visited your Texas International Pop Fest page.WOW..cool
pics..Hey Im interested in any more info on that show that you may
have.although I was only 7 years old in 1969.I love music from the
Vietnam Era.first off were exactly was the festival held.and what days.
Ive got a video tape of a FILM made at the T.I.P.F. thats about 90 min
and is unedited.."remember the naked folks in lake Lewisville".well they
are in there.as well as Wavey Gravey with his mega-phone talking
nonsense to the rebel swimmers..
I would gladly make you a copy of this tape for some copies of pics or
something related to the fest..
anyway Im in D/FW area..love to hear some more stories..
I really have not had any correspondence with anyone about the festival except you. I have done
search engines previously, and only found bootleg tape lists (always the
Zeppelin).
I was living in Lubbock (happiness in a rear view mirror) at the time, and
before the Woodstock thing a couple of chicks asked me if I wanted to
hitchhike to the what was called the New York Pop Festival with them. I
told them they were crazy for even thinking of such a thing. Then when the
news showed the Woodstock thing, I knew what balls they had and I didn't.
Two weeks later, my ass was out on the highway hitchhiking for the first
time in my life to Lewisville.
I went with a kid from Germany (we were both kicked out of Lubbock Christian
College the last day of classes cause they smelled beer on our breath). We
caught a ride with a cool trucker who took us almost all the way there. I
also have looked for remains of the speedway with no luck and not much time.
I know we camped on the east side of 35 near Lake Dallas and near the free
stage. I remember even seeing the free stage.
That is what impressed me about you so much, is you seem to have a better
handle on what went on more than anyone else.
I know New Orleans Pop was going on the same three days. I have a high
school buddy that did that one that I compare notes with.
A lot of the acts did both festivals on different days. What they got that
we didn't was Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.
Please stay in touch and maybe we can piece this thing together. Thirty
years ago, but I can't remember a more eventful thing in my life.
Hello Paul,
I was searching for some info on the above and happened across your site. Man what a trip back to '69. I was there
for the whole three days, but missed out on the free stage. I grew up in Texas in the sixties and I've been looking
for any info from all the great concerts I was lucky enough to be a part of at such an early age. I've tried hunting
up Angus Wynn Jr. on the net to no avail. He was part of that whole scene with his company, Showco, who did all
the sound for those shows, hoping he would have a list of concerts, dates etc. but have had no luck. So I was extra
happy to see your page on the festival and would like to know if you have any more info of that nature, or more
pictures of the Pop Festival. I would really love to see more, as would a friend of mine in Dallas (I'm in Tulsa,
Ok.), who I used to play in bands with. If so, please contact me at the above e-mail address. I got into music
in '64 and never got out. It was great to see your page. I hope to hear from you! Thanks.
Texas International Pop Festival
Copyright - 2000 - Paul Johnston / © Austin News Story