Jimi Hendrix Woodstock footage unearthed after decades

Rare footage of Jimi Hendrix’s iconic 1969 Woodstock performance has been unearthed decades after the event. The recordings were captured by Albert Goodman, a 22-year-old drama student who snuck onto the stage in Bethel, New York, during the festival's closing set.

Goodman used two open-reel videotapes and a Sony camera to film the performance from approximately 15 feet away, positioned behind percussionist Juma Sultan. Because he was mistaken for a member of the official film crew, he was able to document the set without interference. The footage, which was stored for decades before being provided to Hendrix’s family, is featured in the new film, ‘Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock — A Second Look’.

The newly released material includes performances of ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Voodoo Child’, ‘Message To Love’, and his famous rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’. It also contains the only available footage of Hendrix performing ‘Hear My Train a Comin’’. The performance featured his band, Gypsy Sun and Rainbows (also known as Band of Gypsys), which included Billy Cox, Larry Lee, Juma Sultan, Jerry Velez, and Mitch Mitchell.