Tag Archives: concerts

On this date in 1965, a seminal event in rock and roll history took place when Bob Dylan “went electric” during his infamous performance at the Newport Folk Festival. A hero to the folk music community, Dylan’s switch to electric guitar was seen as the ultimate act of betrayal by many in the audience, who booed the performance. Urban legend has it that event organizer Pete Seeger was so upset by the act that he threatened to cut the wires to the stage with an axe.

Update 7/17/2012: There is a controversy regarding the whereabouts of this electric Fender guitar to this day. Rumor has it the guitar was left behind on a plane, but a new episode of ‘History Detectives’ says that it is in the possession of a New Jersey family. Estimated worth of the instrument: $300,000 to $500,000.

Watch interviews about it here. Starts at 4:19.

(via Coast to Coast)