Bob Dylan - Washington Civil Rights Concert Tops Greatest Gigs Poll

25 November 2009 01:31

Picture: Bob Dylan performing live at Optimus Alive 2008 in Passeio Maritimo de Alges Lisbon, Portu....

Washington Civil Rights Concert Tops Greatest Gigs Poll

The March on Washington event in 1963, featuring BOB DYLAN, JOAN BAEZ and folk icon PETE SEEGER, has beaten THE BEATLES' ED SULLIVAN shows and Dylan's controversial Newport Folk Festival gig to top a list of America's greatest concerts in the past 50 years.

Elvis Presley's NBC TV special in 1968, The Beatles at Shea Stadium, the Sex Pistols final show in San Francisco, California and Jimi Hendrix's show-stealing performance at Woodstock also made the top 10 in Relix magazine's poll.

Editor Josh Baron admits the number one choice might not be obvious to music fans, but the Washington, D.C. civil rights event and gig was "our country's greatest (concerts)."

He adds, "While it is a day most remembered for profound speeches... music had a significant voice that day too."

The highlight of the civil rights event was Martin Luther King Jr's stirring 'I Have a Dream' speech.

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Comments View All Comments (1)

27th November 2009 07:55 Pinkokweer (1)

	Pete Seeger did much good work for the civil rights movement, but he did NOT sing at the 1963 March on Washington. If I'm not mistaken, the only non-African Americans who sang that day were Dylan, Baez and the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Given that the whole point of the event was the fight for African American jobs, justice & freedom, it would seem only fitting that proper credit be given to the other performers on stage that day, African Americans as deserving of kudos as Dylan and Baez for the success of the concert. These included the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, the "mother of American folk music" Odetta, the legendary opera singer Marion Anderson, the trailblazing blues guitarist and activist Josh White, Sr., the provocative political lyricist and songwriter Len Chandler, and the civil rights movement's activist chorus The Freedom Singers.