Ravi Shankar
at Woodstock 1969
The sitar virtuoso who introduced 400,000 Woodstock attendees to Eastern musical traditions during a rain-shortened but landmark performance.
Ravi Shankar — Woodstock 1969
During a period when young people embraced tolerance and cultural exploration, interest in Indian music, philosophy, and traditions surged. Sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar introduced Woodstock attendees to Eastern musical traditions in a performance that proved pivotal for the world music scene.
Born in 1920 in Benares (Varanasi), India, Shankar was already prominent in his homeland and famously taught sitar to George Harrison of The Beatles. He gained international recognition performing at Woodstock 1969, the Monterey Pop Festival, and venues worldwide.
Though rain shortened his Woodstock performance, its significance proved substantial. Shankar influenced the Beatles' later work significantly, though he expressed reservations about Western reception to Indian music. He stated: "I felt offended and shocked to see India being regarded so superficially" with its culture exploited.
Described as the "Godfather" of world music, Shankar composed multiple sitar concertos. His influence on rock music through George Harrison helped spark a generation's interest in meditation, yoga, and Indian spirituality that would define the counterculture era.
Shankar's Woodstock performance proved pivotal for the world music scene during a transformative era. Beatles recordings incorporated sitar extensively, and Shankar became instrumental in popularizing Indian music in the West.