{"id":1676,"date":"2025-06-27T14:55:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T14:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/?page_id=1676"},"modified":"2025-06-27T14:55:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T14:55:18","slug":"class-of-1975","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/class-of-1975\/","title":{"rendered":"Class of 1975"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><u>The Times<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cortland seniors began their final year after quite a wild summer. The nation had been consumed for 2 years with The Watergate Scandal which finally came to a head on August 8<sup>th<\/sup>, 1974 as the country witnessed the first Presidential resignation in American history by Richard Nixon.&nbsp; From the release of the Watergate tapes to impeachment proceedings against Nixon, to the release of Woodward and Bernstein\u2019s \u201cAll The President\u2019s Men,\u201d the nation witnessed the very first inauguration in the East Room of the White House naming VP, Gerald Ford, the 38<sup>th<\/sup> President.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few months later, Mohammed Ali arrived in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) for the upcoming \u201cRumble In The Jungle,\u201d the October 30<sup>th<\/sup>, 1974, the historic boxing match against George Forman. At the end of the eighth round, Ali unleashed a quick staccato of punches that stunned Forman followed by a hard left and a chopping right that sent his foe to the canvas. The referee counted Forman out and declared Ali the champion. Ali\u2019s \u201crope-a-dope\u201d strategy kept him standing against the ropes and absorb punches to tire his opponent before counterattacking.&nbsp; Mohammed \u201cthe Greatest of All Time\u201d Ali was finally able to reclaim his heavyweight boxing title after 7 years. In his first interview after the fight, Ali pointed to the TV camera and shouted to the worldwide audience, \u201cI am still the greatest of all time!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine today, writing your class papers using only a typewriter. Well, in 1974\/1975, the typewriter was the main piece of student equipment needed for class. But that was about to change in a huge way! On April 4, 1975, childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft.&nbsp; Originally called Micro-Soft, 19-year-old Gates left Harvard in his quest to create a world of personal computers.&nbsp; What began with the creation of BASIC computer language led to creating the software operating system used by IBM and eventually turned into the world of personal computing that we all enjoy today. &nbsp;Just one year later, Steve Jobs launched Apple computers and eventually, students around the world threw away their typewriters!!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1975, Seniors were still worried about the Vietnam War, but the war was clearly winding down. On April 12<sup>th<\/sup>, 1975, the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia was evacuated. Operation Eagle Pull helped get American embassy personnel out before the Khmer Rouge took control of Phnom Penh. That was followed by Operation Frequent Wind, and the evacuation of more than 7,000 embassy and local people from Saigon as North Vietnam forces advanced.&nbsp; The operation resulted in several iconic images of humanitarian aid with helicopters landing on the roof of the U.S. Embassy and on the decks of aircraft carriers. America\u2019s longest war was finally coming to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notable Events<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nixon Resigns \u2013 Address To The Nation<\/strong> \u2013 August 8<sup>th, <\/sup>1974.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In an evening televised address on August 8<sup>th<\/sup>, 2974, President Richard M. Nixon announced his intention to resign. He was the first president in American history to resign a presidency.\u00a0 With Watergate impeachment proceedings underway, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from both the public and Congress to leave the White House.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nixon: &quot;I shall resign the presidency&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mFlMUzJWpVE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rumble In The Jungle \u2013 Mohammed Ali and George Foreman \u2013 <\/strong>October 30<sup>th<\/sup>, 1974<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Considered one of the most remarkable events in boxing history, this legendary showdown between Mohammed Ali and George Foreman returned Ali\u2019s heavyweight title after 7 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rumble in the Jungle Knockout\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lekcTvu_k_4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Muhammad Ali I told you!!!!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JqVbLtxUU2o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Fall of Saigon <\/strong>\u2013 April 30<sup>th<\/sup>, 1975\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Operation Frequent Wind airlifted embassy and local people via helicopters on roofs of buildings and aircraft carriers from various points in Saigon.\u00a0 This was both a humanitarian effort as well as the actual end of the Vietnam War for the United States.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The \u2018Fall of Saigon\u2019 in 1975, how the news reported it\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wD64kYG-z5I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>CONCERTS THAT CAME TO CORTLAND 1974\/1975<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Livingston Taylor and John Sebastian <\/strong>\u2013 9\/28\/74 \u2013 (Homecoming Weekend) Lusk Field House<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Livingston Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Livingston Taylor is the younger brother of James Taylor and has been performing as a singer\/songwriter and a performance teacher for more than 50 years. His students over the years include Charlie Puth, Gavin McGraw and John Mayer. Back in 1974, Livingston was promoting his album \u201cOver The Rainbow.\u201d&nbsp; His set at Lusk Field House included original songs as well as several covers like \u201cMy Cherie Amour\u201d (Stevie Wonder) and \u201cYou Send Me\u201d (Sam Cooke) as well as the well-known title cover song from The Wizard Of Oz.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOver The Rainbow\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCarolina Day\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>John Sebastian<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Best known as a founding member and chief hitmaker of the Lovin\u2019 Spoonful in the mid 60\u2019s, John Sebastian performed at Cortland as a solo artist to support his third album Tarzana Kid. The album proved to be a commercial failure which is why students were happily treated to a playlist filled with Lovin\u2019 Spoonful hits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNashville Cats\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDaydream\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSummer In The City\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou Didn\u2019t Have To Be That Nice\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDo You Believe In Magic\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>America <\/strong>\u2013 10\/24\/74 \u2013 Lusk Field House<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>America was formed in 1970 in London. Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, were Americans living in England as the kids of Air Force personnel and put a band together with tight harmonies and an acoustic rock sound. They chose their name because they did not want anyone thinking they were British musicians trying to sound like Americans.&nbsp; Living in London had its advantages as they were able to enlist George Martin, the Beatles producer, to produce their fourth album, Holiday, which they were supporting in 1974.&nbsp; It produced the #1 hit \u201cTin Man\u201d and \u201cLonely People\u201d which reached #5 on the charts.&nbsp; Although the band is still active, Gerry Beckley retired from touring in 2024, and Dewey Bunnell still performs with his band.&nbsp; Dan Peek passed away in 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTin Man\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI Need You\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cVentura Highway\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSandman\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHorse With No Name\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>P.D.Q. Bach (Professor Peter Schickele<\/strong> ) \u2013 2\/15\/75 (Mardi Gras Weekend)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who is P.D.Q. Bach you may ask? Well, born in 1742, he was the last and the least of the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach\u2019s twenty-odd children and he certainly was the oddest!&nbsp; So wrote satirist Professor Peter Schickele, the gifted and prolific composer and musician. &nbsp;Performing the \u201cdiscovered\u201d works of P.D.Q., Schickele\u2019s music combined parodies of Baroque and Classical music with slapstick comedy. He also incorporated comical arrangements of well-known works of other composers and instruments that were not normally used in orchestras like bagpipes, slide whistles and kazoos as well as experimental instruments like the pastaphone (made of uncooked macaroni), tromboon, hardart, lasso d\u2019amore and the left-handed sewer flute.&nbsp; Schickele passed away in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"P.D.Q. Bach | Bunny Hop | Peter Schickele | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KzPtPoTgvNM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Billy Cobham<\/strong> \u2013 2\/15\/75 \u2013 (Mardi Gras Weekend) \u2013 Moffett Gym<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Panamanian American jazz drummer, Billy Cobham is one of the most powerful fusion drummers who influenced musicians like Prince, Bill Bruford of King Crimson, Jeff Beck and Phil Collins. In the early 70s Billy was the backbeat on several Miles Davis\u2019s albums and then co-founded the jazz fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra with guitarist John McLaughlin. Cobham\u2019s show at Moffett Gym featured a massive custom made clear acrylic fiberglass-shell drum kit and a 36-inch gong.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Marshall Tucker Band (Grinder Switch opened)<\/strong> \u2013 4\/24\/75 \u2013 PER Ice Arena<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Formed in 1972 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, The Marshall Tucker Band\u2019s music infused blues, rock, country, and jazz and helped establish the \u201cSouthern Rock\u201d genre that included the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top and the Charlie Daniels Band.&nbsp; The Marshall Tucker Band described their own music as \u201cprogressive country\u201d incorporating instruments like flutes and saxophones as well as a fusion of rock instrumentation with country melodies. Throughout the 1970\u2019s The Marshall Tucker Band was known to play upwards of three hundred shows a year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCan\u2019t You See\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c24 Hours At A Time\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTake The Highway\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grinder Switch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Label-mates of The Marshall Tucker Band (Capricorn), from Macon, Georgia, Grinder Switch opened for The Marshall Tucker Band at the PER Ice Arena. They never did achieve the same fame and success as their Southern Rock contemporaries like The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Times Cortland seniors began their final year after quite a wild summer. The nation had been consumed for 2 years with The Watergate Scandal which finally came to a head on August 8th, 1974 as the country witnessed the first Presidential resignation in American history by Richard Nixon.&nbsp; From the release of the Watergate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-1676","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1676\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.cortland.edu\/musiclegacy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}