Michael Lang, the organiser behind Woodstock Festival, has died.
The 77-year-old’s death was confirmed by family spokesperson Michael Pagnotta, who revealed Lang passed away following complications from a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace,” he shared in a statement on Twitter.
Lang hosted a number of high-profile events, including 1968’s Miami Pop Festival starring Jimi Hendrix, and alongside businessmen John Roberts and Joel Rosenman and music industry promoter Artie Kornfeld, created the Woodstock Music And Art Fair
The 1969 festival featured performances from Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
With crowds of up to 400,000 people, the New York event went down in history for its “Three Days Of Peace And Music”.
Lang told Pollstar in 2019: “Woodstock offered an environment for people to express their better selves, if you will.
“It was probably the most peaceful event of its kind in history. That was because of expectations and what people wanted to create there.”
Following the event, Lang featured in the 1970 documentary about the festival went on to produce the Woodstock ‘94 and Woodstock ‘99 events.
He was also involved in the planning of Woodstock 50 event, set for August 2019, but after its financial backers pulled out, the concert was cancelled.
