Sweetwater was an American rock band originally from Los Angeles, California. They were the act scheduled to open the Woodstock festival in 1969; however, due to being stuck in traffic folksinger Richie Havens' trio performed first. Sweetwater was eventually flown in to Woodstock by helicopter and performed next, becoming the first band to perform at the festival.
History
The band originally formed to perform in local coffee houses in Los Angeles until being signed to a major label. Sweetwater were early developers of the psychedelic rock/fusion style that was popularized by Jefferson Airplane to be regarded as the archetype "60s Sound". In 1968-69, the band often toured with The Doors. They were also one of the opening acts for Eric Burdon and the Animals in 1968. One of their best-known recordings is a version of the traditional folk song "Motherless Child". It appeared on their debut album, Sweetwater, the band's only album to chart nationally in the U.S.. As the band progressed, they developed music more toward the psychedelic folk genre. The original members of the band were Nancy "Nansi" Nevins, August Burns, Albert Moore, Alan Malarowitz, Elpidio Cobian, Alex Del Zoppo and Fred Herrera. On December 8, 1969, three days after Sweetwater performed on The Red Skelton Show, singer Nansi Nevins was severely injured in a car accident, which stopped the progress of the band. Nansi experienced brain damage for some years following the collision, and one of her vocal cords was permanently damaged. Nansi would never again complete a full album with the band, although she still had some recordings prepared for the next two albums. The group reunited for Woodstock '94 in 1994 with three original members - Nevins, Herrera and Del Zoppo. August Burns died after contracting pneumonia while being treated in a German hospital for injuries he suffered after falling out of a construction elevator in 1979, Alan Malarowitz was killed in a car crash in 1981, Albert Moore died of lung cancer in 1994. Elpidio Cobian works as a film statist. In 1999, the band's story was depicted in a VH1 TV-movie Sweetwater: A True Rock Story. Amy Jo Johnson portrayed Nansi Nevins and Michelle Phillips portrayed the older Nancy.
