Woodstock Day 14: Bert Sommer

Bert Sommer played on Friday, August 15th as the third act for Woodstock at about 7:15 pm. Sommer was a folk singer and fit in quite well with the Friday line-up. He wrote a song called "We're All Playing For The Same Band" at and about the Woodstock Festival. The song peaked at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sommer was active from 1967-1978.

Sommer performing the song "Jennifer" at Woodstock.

Sommer's performance was not included in the 1970 film Woodstock nor in the Woodstock album that was issued in the same year. If his performance had been included in either instance, his stardom could have been sealed as it was with other acts at the Festival.

Bert at Woodstock.

After Woodstock, he was a member of the baroque-pop group Left Banke. He co-wrote and sang on their hit "Ivy Ivy/Suddenly." He also played Woof in the original Broadway production of Hair and his hair is featured on the original playbill.

Sommer died in 1990 in Troy, New York at the age of 41 from a respiratory illness.