Voting Station

Bert Sommer

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (February 7, 1949-July 23, 1990)
    Born in Queens, New York
    Member of the Left Banke (1967-68)
    Recorded the albums 'The Road to Travel' (1968), 'Inside Bert Sommer' (1969), 'Bert Sommer' (1971), and 'Bert Sommer' (1977)
    Member of the Los Angeles and Broadway casts of 'Hair'
    Performed at Woodstock (1969)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was invited to Woodstock mainly because his debut album was produced by Artie Kornfield, who was one of the festival organizers.
    He was left out of the 'Woodstock' documentary and soundtrack album because of record label politics. (He recorded for Capitol, while the soundtrack album was released by Warner Brothers.)
    His Woodstock-inspired song 'We're All Playing in the Same Band' was far less successful than Melanie's Woodstock-inspired song 'Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)' or Joni Mitchell's Woodstock-inspired song 'Woodstock.'
    He appeared as a member of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs in the first season of The Krofft Supershow.
    His name was left off the list of Woodstock performers on the monument erected at the concert site in 1984.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was self-taught on guitar and piano.
    A close-up of his afro and his eyes was used as a poster for 'Hair.'
    He wrote the song 'Jennifer' about fellow 'Hair' tribe member Jennifer Warnes.
    He received the first standing ovation at Woodstock after singing Simon and Garfunkel's 'America.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying