On This Day in 1969: Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, and Stephen Stills Appeared on The Dick Cavett Show, Later Dubbed “The Woodstock Show”
via BIZARRE BAZAAR / YouTube
The Day After Woodstock
On August 19, 1969, a special episode of The Dick Cavett Show aired, featuring Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, and Stephen Stills. This appearance is now often called “The Woodstock Show” since many performers and audience members had come directly from the historic music festival.
Stephen Stills even appeared with mud stains on his pants, a reminder of the festival’s live and chaotic nature. The episode was filmed just hours after Woodstock wrapped up.
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Performers and Firsts
During the show, Mitchell sang “Chelsea Morning,” “Willy,” and “For Free.” She also performed “The Fiddle and the Drum” a cappella. Jefferson Airplane delivered a performance of “Somebody to Love” that included the first use of the word fuck on U.S. television, through the line “Up against the wall motherfucker”.
Crosby and Stills joined in, rounding out a powerful musical moment that captured the energy and sound of that era.
Stories Behind the Appearance
Jimi Hendrix had been planned to appear on the show as well, but he couldn’t make it—the taping took place only hours after his late performance at Woodstock.
Joni Mitchell was invited to play at Woodstock, yet her manager canceled her scheduled performance to ensure she did not miss the recording of The Dick Cavett Show, which he believed was more important for her career.
The Legacy of the Episode
This episode marked Mitchell’s first U.S. television appearance. Inspired by what she saw and heard at Woodstock, she wrote the song “Woodstock,” drawing on stories from Graham Nash and what she witnessed on TV. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young went on to record the song; it became part of their album Déjà Vu and featured in the Woodstock documentary.
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