The Big Sur Folk Festival, held from 1964 to 1971 in California, was an informal gathering of prominent and emerging folk artists from across the United States. Nancy Jane Carlen (1941-2013) was working at the Esalen Institute when Joan Baez was asked to lead workshops on music. Carlen was a good friend of Baez, and they decided to invite other artists, which turned into the first festival.
Poster for the initial festival in 1964 by Bob Muson
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk-rock supergroup made up of the American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and the English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by the Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, they were called Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies and lasting influence on American music and culture, their political activism and their tumultuous relationships.
(left to right) Young, Crosby, Nash, Stills in publicity photo, 1970
Stills (left), Crosby and Nash in 1974
Crosby, Stills & Young outdoor stadium tour at Foreman Field, Old Dominion University, Norfolk VA. (August 17, 1974)
One of the backdrops during the 2006 "Freedom of Speech" tour, as shown here, was the photos of American soldiers who had died in the war in Iraq.
