Richie Havens' Ashes Scattered at Woodstock
Richie Havens' Ashes Scattered at Woodstock
Musician is honored at site of the festival he opened in 1969
By Erin Coulehan
August 19, 2013 8:55 AM ET
Richie Havens' ashes were scattered from a plane across the site of Woodstock during a ceremony yesterday. According to The Associated Press, 3o family members were present at the memorial which also drew a crowd of about 1,000.
Havens was the first act to perform at the 1969 concert held in upstate New York, where he made history with his performance of "Freedom."
Richie Havens Shares the Story Behind 'Freedom'
The Woodstock headliner had requested that his ashes be scattered over the original site, now known as Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
"Though he traveled throughout the world for decades visiting and returning to countless locations, Max Yasgur's field in the Town of Bethel, Sullivan County, New York always remained the location where Richie felt his deepest connection," read a statement from his family.
Close friends Danny Glover and Louis Gossett Jr. were among the speakers at the ceremony.
The tribute to Havens was hosted on the 44th anniversary of the final day of Woodstock. Havens died in April from a heart attack at the age of 72.
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