The farmer behind the Glastonbury Festival has been awarded the highest possible honour by an organisation representing record industry managers.
Michael Eavis has been inducted into the Roll of Honour of the Music Managers' Forum.
He said it was "quite thrilling to know that after 34 years of organised chaos, I am deemed worthy of this award". He added the festival - which began in 1970 - was so successful because its mix of arts and culture was unique. "We do a whole lot of expression in music, theatre, circus, dance and poetry and green things," he said. "It is very, very different to anything else and people can try to copy it, but it's not the same."The first festival was held on the day after the death of guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Eavis had been inspired by a blues festival at the Bath and West Showground and decided to organise an event of his own, on a smaller scale. The acts on the bill that year included Marc Bolan and Al Stewart. A total of 1,500 people paid the £1 entrance fee, which also entitled them to free milk from Eavis' farm.
There is to be no festival this summer, although a documentary film is being released which captures the spirit of Glastonbury with archive performances and interviews from bands and fans.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.