Musical Legacy at SUNY Cortland

Class of 1963

The Times

Bob Dylan

Before 1963, the music of the sixties still reflected the sound of the previous decade with hits still topping the charts by artists who had found mainstream success in the 1950s, like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Dion, and The Everly Brothers.

Beginning in 1963 a major musical sea-change occurred with world altering events like the assassination of President Kennedy, the escalation of the war in Vietnam and the forward-progress of the Civil Rights Movement. The music of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez reflected this change. The summer before the graduating class of 1963 returned to campus, Bob Dylan released “Blowin’ In The Wind” with a strong message of equal rights and anti-war.

The “British Invasion” also began around 1963 with the arrival of The Beatles and the type of crazy fandom that followed them would change the way people viewed and interacted with music and musicians forever.

In the UK, The Beatles released “Please Please Me” and Beatlemania quickly began its ascent in the U.S. and the British Invasion began to take over the listening habits of young people all over the country.

Notable Events

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I Have A Dream” Speech

August 28, 1963, Washington DC 

JFK Assassination

November 22, 1963, Dallas TX

Beginning of Beatlemania

November 22, 1963

Video introducing Beatlemania was first aired during the morning news on CBS on November 22nd, 1963.  Walter Cronkite was supposed to re-air on the CBS Evening News but programming was rearranged due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy 

Performances

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  • Detroit Symphony

    LYCEUM

  • Joe William’s Band

    SAC at Old Main Auditorium

  • Count Basie Orchestra

    16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935.  Coming off of major recorded concerts in Paris in 1962 and Sweden in 1963, The Count Basie Orchestra was in top form for Cortland Students!  “Chicago” ..Read More

  • The Brothers Four

    Pioneers of the “folk revival” are still playing concerts today! Playing guitars, banjo, mandolin and upright bass, current bands like Mumford and Sons can trace their sound back to bands like The Brothers Four. “This Train” “The John B. Sails” (Sloop John B) LYCEUM at HPER (Moffett)

  • Dame Judith Anderson and Company

    LYCEUM

  • Jose Liman and Dance Company

    LYCEUM

  • Bobby Comstock

    A “local” boy, Bobby Comstock was born in Ithaca, NY.  He is known for both a solo artist with his big hit “Let’s Stomp” in 1963 as well as his band “Bobby Comstock and The Counts” in the 1950s with his hit “Tennessee Waltz” “Let’s Stomp”  “Your Boyfriend’s Back”