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History of the Tanglewood Popular Artists Series

Tanglewood expanded its musical offerings in 1968, with the creation of the “Contemporary Trends” concerts -- a precursor to today’s Popular Artist and Jazz series. Originally conceived as an extension of the Festival of Contemporary Music by Gunther Schuller, the purpose of the series was to present performances by popular groups representing important trends in contemporary music outside the sphere of Western “classical” music.

The first few years included performances by The Association, Modern Jazz Quartet, Ravi Shankar, B.B. King, Miles Davis, and Chicago, and Chet Atkins. The series addressed the fact that while Tanglewood audiences were not getting smaller, they were getting older; and the introduction of different styles of music, including rock, jazz, and folk attracted a larger and more diverse audience and boosted box office receipts.

1969 color flyer advertising Jefferson Airplane, BB King and The Who at Tanglewood

Flyer for the August 12, 1969 Contemporary Trends concert that included performances by Jefferson Airplane, B.B. King; The Who, and Joshua Light Show, who stopped off at Tanglewood en route to the Woodstock Festival.

The inaugural series took place on four consecutive Wednesdays in July of 1968, with each concert emphasizing a different aspect of contemporary “popular” music, including musical satire; folk-rock music; non-Western music; and jazz.

First Summer: 1968

A jazz band plays on stage in the Shed at Tanglewood, with band leader Don Ellis raising his hand to conduct

Don Ellis and the Don Ellis Orchestra perform in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood, July 17, 1968

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Ravi Shankar performing under a canopy at Tanglewood

Ravi Shankar performing at Tanglewood, July 24, 1968

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Ravi Shankar stands with arms folded talking to Gunther Schuller, who holds several scores

Ravi Shankar with Gunther Schuller backstage at Tanglewood, July 24, 1968

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Musicians with guitars and amps stand on stage in the Shed

The Association perform in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood, July 31, 1968

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

We believe that the Festival of Contemporary Music, if it is to be truly representative of today’s contemporary musical life, must offer the best creative efforts in jazz, rock, folk, gospel and the various ethnic crosscurrents which fundamentally affect our music culture.

Gunther Schuller (1969)

Summer of '69

Joni Mitchell holds her guitar while standing next to Tim Hardin backstage at Tanglewood

Tim Hardin and Joni Mitchell backstage at Tanglewood, July 22, 1969

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

A wide view of the audience filling the Shed at Tanglewood as they face a group of musicians playing keyboard, saxophone, and trumpet on stage with

Audience members fill the Koussevitzky Music Shed to watch the Paul Butterfield Blues Band perform as part of the Contemporary Trends concert on July 22, 1969

The inscription on the photo reads: "9200 filling shed listening to Butterfield Blues".

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

View from above, looking down on members of the band The Who on the stage at Tanglewood, color print

The Who perform at Tanglewood, August 12, 1969

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Grace Slick sings into microphone as Jefferson Airplane performs in the Shed at Tanglewood

Jefferson Airplane performed at Tanglewood on August 12, 1969

Photographs by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Conductor Erich Leinsdorf places a hand on Janis Joplin's shoulder while the two of them stand backstage

An unlikely duo: Janis Joplin and Erich Leinsdorf at Tanglewood, 1969

Janis Joplin reportedly refused to perform until the police, brought in to control the crowds, left the stage-front area because she said that they spoiled the atmosphere.

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Rock Fans Jam Tanglewood

1969 news clipping describing the crowds at the Contemporary Trends concerts at Tanglewood in 1969
1969 newspaper clippings describing the crowds at Tanglewood. An unintended consequence of the Contemporary Trends concerts were crowds of up to 22,000 people that caused monumental parking and traffic problems, security issues, and noise complaints from neighbors.

Sounds of the 70s

Green program book cover for the July 7, 1970 Contemporary Trends concert

Program book cover for the July 7, 1970 Contemporary Trends concert

The Who, Jethro Tull, and It's a Beautiful Day all performed in this concert presented by Bill Graham, with multi-screen projection provided by Joshua Television.

Musicians stand on stage in the Shed at Tanglewood with guitars and keyboard

Chicago performs on the stage of the Koussevitzky Music Shed as part of the Contemporary Trends concert on July 21, 1970

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

View from behind a group of musicians (Sly and the Family Stone) on stage, out into a crowded Shed

Sly and the Family Stone on stage at Tanglewood, July 13, 1971

Photographs by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Close up of Ray Charles in tuxedo and shades sitting at the piano with a microphone

Ray Charles performs in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, July 20, 1971

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Roberta Flack holds a microphone while singing at Tanglewood

Roberta Flack performing at Tanglewood, July 10, 1973

After a turbulent few years and a hiatus in 1972, there was an effort to soften the “hard-rock” orientation of the series. The newly named “Popular Artist Series,” produced by Don Law, consisted of performers like Roberta Flack and John Denver who, it was thought, would appeal to more quiescent crowds.

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

a group of musicians with long hair, bell bottoms, and other 70s styles perform in the shed at Tanglewood

Blood, Sweat, and Tears performing at Tanglewood on July 10, 1973

Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

Black and white image of James Taylor wearing flare jeans, bare feet, long hair, and a mustache seated with a guitar while singing into a microphone

James Taylor performing for the first time at Tanglewood, July 30, 1974

A perennial favorite during the Popular Artists Series, Taylor has performed at Tanglewood almost annually since 1990.

Photographs by Heinz Weissenstein, Whitestone Photo

A poster with a bright green tree on a blue background containing a list of popular artists performing at Tanglewood in 1975

A flyer advertising the Popular Artist concerts for the 1975 season at Tanglewood

Gordon Lightfoot, Roberta Flack, James Taylor, Judy Collins and Linda Ronstadt were among the several popular artist musicians who appeared at Tanglewood in 1975.

A flyer with a bright green tree outlined in blue on a white background lists the Popular Artists appearing at Tanglewood in 1976

Flyer advertising the upcoming Popular Artists concerts at Tanglewood in 1976

Seals and Croft, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Crosby and Nash, and Bonnie Raitt were among the musicians who performed at Tanglewood that summer.

Emmylou Harris, with long hair and a flowing white dress, holds her guitar while standing on stage in the Tanglewood Shed

Emmylou Harris performs at Tanglewood on July 18, 1978 as part of the 1978 Popular Artists Series

Photograph by Stephen Hawkins for the Berkshire Eagle

Newspaper clipping depicting a crowd gathered outside the main gate at Tanglewood

Berkshire Eagle clipping dated August 16, 1978 highlights the record-breaking crowds waiting for the gates to open to the Jackson Browne concert at Tanglewood, August 15, 1978, part of Popular Artists Series.

Photograph by Kevin Knobloch

Popular Artists Today

Earth, Wind & Fire performs at Tanglewood on Saturday, June 18, 2016 Photograph by Hilary Scott
Audra McDonald wears a black lace dress and extends her arm while singing at Tanglewood

Audra McDonald performs at Tanglewood on July 19, 2015

Photograph by Hilary Scott

Dolly Parton wears a white dress with fringe, singing on stage at Tanglewood

Dolly Parton sings at Tanglewood on June 17, 2016

Photograph by Hilary Scott

patrons having an evening picnick in front of the Shed at Tanglewood

2023 Tanglewood Popular Artists