Who Was the Oldest Musician to Perform at Woodstock?

The oldest musician who performed at Woodstock was Ravi Shankar.

The honor of being the oldest performer at Woodstock went to Indian sitar player and guru figure Ravi Shankar.  Shankar, born in April of 1920, was 49 years old when he took the stage at Woodstock. 

A large portion of his performance was cancelled after it was interrupted by torrential downpours, but the portion of his performance that he did play created a stir among other artists of the time, notably the Beatles, and also introduced American music fans to the cultural tradition that would later become known as World Music.  His influence was heavily felt in later Beatles albums that gravitated towards the sitar.

What Was Woodstock?

Woodstock was a turning point in the modern rock and folk rock movement in the United States.  Some have called it the high water mark of 1960s rock concerts, as later attempts at large festivals degenerated into violence and chaos, as evidenced by the Rolling Stones tragic Altamont Speedway concert with Hells Angels as security guards stabbing a black man to death.

Woodstock was three days of “peace, love, and music” as the promoters promised.  There were a number of famous performers at Woodstock, including Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and others.  Among all the performers, the name of the oldest musician to perform at Woodstock, Ravi Shankar, should not be forgotten.