Sweetwater (band)
Encyclopedia
Sweetwater was a rock
band originally from Los Angeles
. They were the act scheduled to play first at the Woodstock Festival
in 1969, although due to problems within the band, solo folksinger Richie Havens
became the first performer. Sweetwater performed next, becoming the first band to play the festival.
Sweetwater were early developers of the psychedelic rock
/fusion
style that was popularized by Jefferson Airplane
to be regarded as the archetype "60s Sound". In 1968-69, the band often toured with The Doors
. They were also one of the opening acts for Eric Burdon & The Animals
in 1968. One of their best-known recordings is a version of the traditional folk song "Motherless Child".
The original members of the band were Nancy Nevins (lead vocals/guitar), August Burns (cello
), Albert Moore (flute
/backing vocals), Alan Malarowitz (drums), Elpidio Cobian (conga
drums), Alex Del Zoppo (keyboards) and Fred Herrera (bass).
Three days after Sweetwater performed on The Red Skelton Show
(December 1969), singer Nancy "Nansi" Nevins was severely injured in a car accident, which stopped the progress of the band. Due to the accident, Nancy experienced brain damage for a number of years following the collision, and permanent damage to one of her vocal cords.
The group reunited for Woodstock '94
in 1994 with three original members - Nevins, Herrera and Del Zoppo. August Burns died in the 80s, Alan Malarowitz was killed in a car crash near 1981, Albert Moore died of pneumonia in 1994. Elpedio Cobian works as a film statist. In 1999, the story of the band was depicted in a VH1
TV-movie called Sweetwater: A True Rock Story. Amy Jo Johnson
portrayed Nancy Nevins, while Michelle Phillips
portrayed an older Nancy.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band originally from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. They were the act scheduled to play first at the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
in 1969, although due to problems within the band, solo folksinger Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
became the first performer. Sweetwater performed next, becoming the first band to play the festival.
Sweetwater were early developers of the psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
/fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
style that was popularized by Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
to be regarded as the archetype "60s Sound". In 1968-69, the band often toured with The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. They were also one of the opening acts for Eric Burdon & The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
in 1968. One of their best-known recordings is a version of the traditional folk song "Motherless Child".
The original members of the band were Nancy Nevins (lead vocals/guitar), August Burns (cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
), Albert Moore (flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
/backing vocals), Alan Malarowitz (drums), Elpidio Cobian (conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
drums), Alex Del Zoppo (keyboards) and Fred Herrera (bass).
Three days after Sweetwater performed on The Red Skelton Show
The Red Skelton Show
The Red Skelton Show is an American variety show that was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. It was second to Gunsmoke and third to The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings during that time. Skelton, who had previously been a radio star, had appeared in several motion pictures as...
(December 1969), singer Nancy "Nansi" Nevins was severely injured in a car accident, which stopped the progress of the band. Due to the accident, Nancy experienced brain damage for a number of years following the collision, and permanent damage to one of her vocal cords.
The group reunited for Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94, often called the "commercial Woodstock" or "Mudstock", was a music festival organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969...
in 1994 with three original members - Nevins, Herrera and Del Zoppo. August Burns died in the 80s, Alan Malarowitz was killed in a car crash near 1981, Albert Moore died of pneumonia in 1994. Elpedio Cobian works as a film statist. In 1999, the story of the band was depicted in a VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
TV-movie called Sweetwater: A True Rock Story. Amy Jo Johnson
Amy Jo Johnson
Amy Jo Johnson is an American actress, singer, songwriter and musician.She is best known for her roles in the televison series as the constable Jules Callaghan in the Canadian CTV television series Flashpoint, the famous jockey Tina Sharp in the ABC Family's original show Wildfire, the rookie cop...
portrayed Nancy Nevins, while Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...
portrayed an older Nancy.
Sweetwater discography
- Sweetwater (1968)
- Just for You (1970)
- Melon (1971)
- Cycles: The Reprise Collection (1999) - (Individually-number limited edition of 10,000 copies)
- Live At Last (2002)