Quick Facts
Biography
Arthur Lawrence "Artie" Kornfeld (born September 9, 1942) is an American musician, record producer and music executive. He is best known as the music promoter for the Woodstock Festival held in 1969. He is also known for his collaborations with Artie Kaplan.
History
Kornfeld was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States. He is the son of a New York City policeman and his wife (Irving and Shirley). Brought up in the early 50s in Levittown, New York, Kornfeld's family constantly moved and he attended six different schools.
Musical
Kornfeld started playing symphonic trumpet but he loved the rock music he was hearing. In his early teens when the family had moved to Carolina he got a job at the Charlotte Coliseum selling soda pop so he could catch acts such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.
Kornfeld got his first guitar in 1956. Some time later he performed with The Skyliners singing backup and on stage with Dion and the Belmonts. He later attended Adelphi College and American University where he would further his music career. It was at the latter where he met Cass Elliot who would later be one of the members of the Mamas and the Papas.
Kornfeld became the vice president of Capitol Records in his early 20s, making him the youngest to hold the position. By 1966, Kornfeld had written over 75 Billboard charted songs and participated in over 150 albums. In 1969, Kornfeld left Capitol records to co-create The Woodstock Music & Arts Festival, with Mike Lang .
The Changin' Times
Kornfeld along with Steve Duboff teamed as the Pop/Folk group the Changin' Times. They wrote and recorded "The Pied Piper" in 1965, a song that was a hit for Crispian St. Peters and were on tour with Sonny and Cher during the 1965 "I Got You Babe" tour. Kornfeld was also the co-writer of "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean and was the co-writer and producer of the 1967 hit by the Cowsills "The Rain, The Park & Other Things".
Woodstock
Kornfeld and Michael Lang became best friends in 1968 and Lang eventually moved in with Artie and his wife Linda. Kornfeld, Lang, Joel Rosenman, and John P. Roberts through Woodstock Ventures made the 1969 music festival a possibility.
Kornfeld played a big role in helping save the Woodstock site from being built upon when the Max Yasgur farm was sold. Kornfeld was also responsible for putting the Academy Award winning Warner Bros. documentary together. Much of the historical documentation of Woodstock is supplied by the acts featured in the film and it was Kornfeld who had to convince all of them to appear. He is in the movie frequently because backstage he was solely in charge of getting the performers to sign what were basically blank contracts prior to going on stage. He also hired director Michael Wadleigh to shoot the film.
Kornfeld has spent 40 years speaking to schools, organizations, and universities on the true meaning behind Woodstock. He has done over 5,000 radio interviews and hosts his own show, "The Spirit Show with Artie Kornfeld" on artistfirst.com
Discography
Singles
- The Changin' Times - "Pied Piper" / "Thank You Babe" - Philips 40320 (1965)
- The Changin' Times - "How Is The Air Up There" - Philips 40341 (1965)
- The Changin' Times - "All In The Mind Of A Young Girl" / "Aladdin" - Philips 40401 (1966)
- The Changin' Times - "I Should Have Brought Her Home" / "Goin' Lovin' With You" - Philips 40368 (1966)
- The Changin' Times - "Free Spirit (She Comes On)" / "You Just Seem To Know" - Bell 675 (1967)
- The Artie Kornfeld Circus - "The Rain, The Park And Other Things" / "The Lonely Mermaid" - Bell 697 (1967)
- The Artie Kornfeld Tree - "Country Morning On 56th Street" / "Rock 'n Roll Babies" - Dunhill D-4259 (1970)
- Artie Kornfeld - "Island Song" / "Feel" - Neighborhood NRA-4206 (1972)
Albums
- The Artie Kornfeld Tree – A Time To Remember! – ABC/Dunhill Records – DS 50092 (1970)
Publication
- The Pied Piper of Woodstock (Paperback), 196 pages; Publisher: Spirit of the Woodstock Nation, LLC (October 19, 2009); ISBN 978-0-615-32599-6