by Amanda Daum
After accidentally headlining Woodstock in 1969, Richie Havens (1941-2013) captivated SUNY Geneseo students and community members on April 8, 1978, participating in a three day event called A Week Underwater. He used his concert to host a benefit to “Save the Whales.” Havens had a unique sound aided by his guitar fretting up to six strings at once. There is actually a “in the style of the Havens” signature guitar sound that includes the intense rhythmic strumming of chords in open D tuning (low to high: DADF#AD). In addition to being a musician, Havens also worked as an environmental activist, a Civil Rights activist, and an activist for the rights of Native Americans.
In fact, Havens was a big environmental activist. Along with Michael Sandlofer, Havens helped save a whale that had beached itself on Coney Island. He co-founded the Northwind Undersea Institute which is an oceanographic children’s museum in the Bronx. He also formed the Natural Guard from the museum, an international organization created to promote hands-on activities that teach children about ecology and the environment. According to Havens, “You give kids something to do, and there is no gang, there (are) no street-corner drugs… Under the guise of the environment, geography can be taught, sciences and humanities can be taught, and the need to get rid of poverty, homeless and drugs can be taught.” Havens wanted to help everybody and make the world a better place starting with the environment and the children. He sang “Here Comes The Sun,” by the Beatles at Woodstock and at many of his shows. Havens was very known for this Beatles cover. It became one of his staples.
Along with being an environmental activist, Havens also championed Civil Rights and Native American causes. Since he was such a big activist, it is only fitting he performed at Woodstock. Yet he headlined only because the other bands to go on before him could not make it to the stage with all their equipment. The crowd was too big and dense, so Havens skipped five places in line to be front and center, performing for over 3 hours. After running out of songs to play he asked himself if there was one word that really stuck out to him as inspiration for the festival and that word happened to be freedom. So naturally he created a song out of it. His song, “Freedom” brought everyone there together and encompassed all the values of all people wanting and needing to be free. Free from judgement and free to be who they are. It encompassed another song called “Motherless Child” which is an African American spiritual. Freedom also became his signature song for the rest of his career. Freedom was immortalized in the Woodstock film and defined Haven’s career. Other songs that he serenaded Woodstock with include, “From the Prison/Get Together/From the Prison,” “I’m a Stranger, Here” “Medley: Strawberry Fields Forever/Hey Jude.” While Woodstock was a catalyst for Haven’s career, his music still enchants listeners to this day.