Peace, Love and Woodstock on the Water Groovy Raft Up Celebrates Grand Lake
It’s Grand Lake’s 77th birthday, so embrace your inner flower child and come get groovy.
Hippies, water-lovers and anyone who just wants to have fun are invited to join the party at Woodstock on the Water, this Saturday, Aug. 12.
From 1 to 5 p.m., the birthday bash raft-out event will embrace all that is good about summer, peace, love and live music.
Woodstock on the Water celebrates the 77th anniversary of the completion of Pensacola Dam and the creation of Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees. This year’s event will also celebrate legendary music icon Leon Russell and his connection to Grand Lake.
In 1972, the renowned musician and songwriter purchased acreage on Grand Lake. Russell’s lake retreat on Lawhead Hollow included a 3,500-square-foot house and a recording studio.
The lake studio was a popular attraction for rock musicians of the day. Some recorded in the studio, while others came simply to relax and have a good time on Grand Lake.
Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Jones, George Harrison, J.J. Cale, Bob Seger, the Gap Band and Phoebe Snow were just some of the music legends Russell hosted at his Lawhead Hollow home.
Woodstock on the Water will feature live musical entertainment by the Barrett Lewis Band and the Wanda Watson Band. The bands will perform on the deck of the property Russell once owned.
For the past 27 years, Tulsa Chiropractor Rick Huskey has owned Russell’s former lake retreat. Huskey is also the drummer for the Barrett Lewis Band.
Based out of Tulsa, the Barrett Lewis Band blends “the sounds of blues, rock, pop and R&B with a dash of soul.” The band was voted the Best Local Band by the Tulsa World in 2015.
Band members include Barrett Lewis on guitar and vocals, Alan Ransom, bass and vocals, Rick Huskey on drums and Tom Hoffstatter on keyboard, harmonica and guitar.
Woodstock on the Water will also feature the soul-shaking, high-energy blues of the award-winning Wanda Watson Band. Fronted by lead vocalist Wanda Watson, the band is known as Tulsa’s finest blues band.
Todd Webb, of Uptown News, says “Watson has got to the be the best thing to happen to music since Les Paul ran an electric cable through a hookup in a hollow-body guitar.”
A definitive blues artist, Watson’s style and charisma are a match for her talent. She makes every song her own, whether its an original or a time-tested standard.
The experienced, professional musicians of the Wanda Watson Band include Virgil Broyles, percussion and vocals, Dale “Bach” Bacher, keyboard and vocals, Frank Ray, guitar and vocals, and Jim Summerlin, bass and vocals.
While singing the blues is the band’s specialty, the Wanda Watson Band enjoys playing great music, whether it’s blues, funk, soul, classic rock or country.
Don’t miss out on Grand Lake’s 77th birthday bash celebration. Pull out your tie-dye T-shirts, love beads and peace signs and float on over to Woodstock on the Water.
This year’s raft out will be held in Lawhead Hollow, or as some refer to it, Russell Cove or the Hippie Place.
Organizers moved the raft-out to the protected cove in hopes of avoiding the rough water and strong winds that caused problems for the anchored boats at the event’s previous location near the east end of the Pensacola Dam.
Due to the location change, Woodstock on the Water will only be accessible by water this year. There will be no land access. The event is free and open to the public.