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Monterey Pop Festival

festival, Monterey, California, United States [1967]

Quick Summary

The Monterey Pop Festival, held in Monterey, California, from June 16–18, 1967, was the first major commercial American rock festival. Organized by Lou Adler and John Phillips, it was inspired by the Monterey Jazz Festival. The event featured significant early performances by artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Janis Joplin, introducing them to wider audiences. The festival also included performances by Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, and others. Monterey Pop was pivotal in legitimizing rock music, leading to major record deals for several artists and expanding the audience for soul music. Despite its artistic success, the festival faced financial issues, and a planned follow-up event in 1968 did not materialize.

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