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Life, Missouri History Today

The Ozark Music Festival Kicks Off in Sedalia: July 19, 1974:

by Missouri Life

Woodstock may be the best-known rock festival, but the Ozark Music Festival, held July 19-21, 1974, was one of the biggest. Estimates put attendance at around 350,000 people.

Initially, the fest organizer said they would only sell 50,000 tickets to the fest at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. But it was clear on the night of Thursday, July 18, they’d need to sell more. Fans came from all over—never mind the fact the first bands wouldn’t play till Friday.

The lineup was impressive, with Bachman Turner Overdrive as the headliners. Their single “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” was on its way to topping the Billboard chart. America had already topped the charts 2 years earlier with “A Horse With No Name.”  

This post is based on information from Udiscovdermusic.com.

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