Keef Hartley Band
at Woodstock 1969
British blues-rock outfit led by drummer Keef Hartley, formerly of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, who notably declined to be featured in the Woodstock documentary.
Keef Hartley Band — Woodstock 1969
The Keef Hartley Band was a British blues-rock group formed by drummer Keef Hartley, who had previously played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers alongside Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Their appearance at Woodstock was one of the most underappreciated of the entire festival.
Led by the hard-hitting Hartley on drums, the band featured a rotating cast of musicians who blended British blues with jazz influences. Their sound was more sophisticated than many of their festival peers, drawing on jazz rhythms and horn arrangements.
Notably, the Keef Hartley Band was one of only a handful of Woodstock acts to decline inclusion in the documentary film and the accompanying soundtrack album. This decision, like CCR's similar refusal, significantly limited the band's historical profile despite a well-received performance.
Their Woodstock set included "Believe In You," "Rock Me Baby," and "Leavin' Trunk." The band released several albums in the early 1970s before disbanding.