A current picture of the grounds at Woodstock where of one of the most iconic music festivals took place. (File Photo/ The Canadian Press)

By Ronald Quaroni

Woodstock Remembered

Long-time Prince Albert broadcaster looks back on Woodstock blunder on 50th anniversary

Aug 15, 2019 | 2:00 PM

A retired Prince Albert broadcaster said 50 years ago today he made one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Young and with full head of hair, the ‘Doc of Rock,’ Neil Headrick, had full intentions to attend the biggest music festival of his generation. The late 1960s found Headrick living in the Ottawa area and all the kids were talking about the event that was soon to take place in the state of New York. It was Woodstock.

In an effort to save money, Headrick decided he would go on the second day, rather than attend the entire festival. That decision would be costly.

“By waiting for the second day, there’s no possible way you could get anywhere near. I believe we were about 150 miles from the actual Woodstock site,” Neil Headrick said. “So although we knew what was going on at the time, there was no way we could get there.”

“Everyone has a few regrets in life and that is one of my big ones,” Headrick told paNOW.

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He explained at time people didn’t realize how polarizing the festival would be all these years later.

Headrick said Woodstock encapsulated a lot of what the 60s represented.

“The whole time was terrific, no matter where you were. Woodstock was just an example of what was going on in that era,” he said.

One thing that made Woodstock so special was the sheer number of musical stars attending.

Headrick spent over 33 years in the broadcast industry and said in his opinion the music of that generation will never be rivalled.

“Here we are 50 years later, a lot of the bands; McCartney (the Beatles), the Rolling Stones etc. are still around,” he explained. “I dare say, that 50 years from now you won’t be listening to people like Drake. (Today’s music) it just doesn’t have the staying power that the music of the late 60s had. I doubt will see that again.”

A 50th anniversary Woodstock celebration and concert was planned for this year, but after multiple artists pulled out of their performances, the event was cancelled.

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Ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni