Sweetwater

The one reason you should know Sweetwater: They were the first band* to take the stage at Woodstock (it’s a hoot listening to lead singer Nancy Nevins as she addresses the crowd: “Wow… there sure are a lot of people here… I hope this festival turns out real nice…”). That’s a fairly decent performance for which to be remembered—and a great piece of trivia for your next party—but it does little to solve the problem of the band’s severely dated and directionless mix of psychedelic pop, acid folk and jazz-oriented hard rock. Sweetwater’s self-titled debut, first released in 1968, was the first of three records the band recorded for the Reprise label and the only one to feature Nevins from start to finish (her vocal chords were damaged in a 1969 auto accident). “Motherless Child” and “My Crystal Spider” represent the band at its peak, two songs in possession of effective vocal performances and complex, challenging instrumental passages. “Why Oh Why,” however, an odd swing-flavored duet with 1950s-styled rockabilly guitar and a punchy horn section, reveals a band in desperate need of direction. A prime example of the schizophrenic musical tendencies of the late ‘60s, Sweetwater’s legacy rests not on its recorded output, but a brief, 45-minute appearance at the decade’s most famous rock festival.

*Sweetwater was the first group to perform at Woodstock, but not the first artist. That honor belongs to Richie Havens.

Notes: It’s long out of print, but Cycles: The Reprise Collection, a 1999 limited edition compilation from Rhino Handmade, does a great job of highlighting the best tracks from all three of the band’s albums. It also includes an ultra-rare version of the band performing “What’s Wrong” at Woodstock.