The Ozark Music Festival in Sedalia was a 3-day festival held July 19-21, 1974. This event was held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, and was a part of the Eagles’ ‘On the Border’ tour. The Eagles went on stage the first night (July 19) at 7:45 pm. Joe Walsh was not yet a member of the Eagles, but he was there at this festival and went on stage right after the Eagles.
Two days earlier on July 17 the Eagles were at the Mississippi River Festival in Edwardsville, IL. And, on July 7 they performed at the Holiday Jam at the Miami Orange Bowl.
The town of Sedalia considered this Ozark Music Festival a disaster to their town. The promoters of the festival were even indicted after a 63-page State Senate Committee report was issued.
50 years later –
trailer for documentary by Jeff Lujin
“Fifty years after the ill-fated Ozark Music Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, a documentary relives the weekend of 1970s rock and roll that completely overwhelmed the small town.”
T-shirt back
It should be Souther-Hillman-Furay Band and not ‘Southern’ printed after Bob Seger’s name.
Eagles on stage
Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Don Felder, and Don Henley
Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Don Felder, and Don Henley
Joe Walsh and Barnstorm were also at the festival and went on stage following the Eagles on July 19.
Bryan Garofalo and Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh and Bryan Garofalo
Joe Walsh
Breakfast at the Ramada Inn in Sedalia the morning of the show – July 19, 1974
The lady who took this photo said when Joe left he threw a glass at the cigarette machine and broke the front of the machine.
The front-page newspaper article of July 19 that Bernie Leadon is reading in the Sedalia Democrat is under this photo. It’s not a great quality image of the article, but hopefully most of it can be read alright.
Bryan Garofalo (Joe’s guitar player), Joe Walsh, and Bernie Leadon
A few years later Bryan Garofalo became a member of Randy’s band, the Silverados.
The Sedalia Democrat (Sedalia, MO) – July 19, 1974
The thousands of festival attendees
Ozark Music Festival poster
Ozark Music Festival 3-day ticket
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) – July 14, 1974
“Wolfman Jack of ABC’s ‘Midnight Special’ will host the program, which will include Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Earl Scruggs Review, Ted Nugent and The Amboy Dukes, and the Eagles.”
Neosho Daily News (Neosho, MO) – May 9, 1974
Wolfman Jack from ABC’s “Midnight Special” emcees at the festival
Springfield Leader and Press (Springfield, MO) – July 22, 1974
Des Moines Tribune (Des Moines, IA) – July 23, 1974
“‘The town of Joplin didn’t look this bad after the tornado,’ State Sen. William Cason, D-Clinton, said here after surveying the site of the three-day Ozark Music Festival.”
Mexico Ledger (Mexico, MO) – July 23, 1974
“One youngster told the Associated Press that many of his friends went home. ‘The word was decadence . . . It was not the public image of glorious, peace-loving music. There were no good vibes,’ he said.”
Daily Capital News (Jefferson City, MO) – July 24, 1974
Sunday News and Tribune (Jefferson City, MO) – July 28, 1974
“Four men have been arraigned on charges in connection with the promotion and conduct of the Ozark Music Festival here last summer that attracted about 100,000 persons to the state fairgrounds.”
Iola Register (Iola, KS) – Nov. 27, 1974
You’ve pulled together so much from this festival. Great collection of photos, articles, and history of this event.
I’m really glad that I was not there. It looks like a mess.