Rock 'n Roll Soul: Live, August 20, 1989

Legendary all-American frontman and guitarist Mark Farner was the engine that pulled the original Grand Funk Railroad repeatedly to the top of the charts in the 1970s. At age 70, Farner commands the stage with the same intensity and outpouring of love as he did in the summer of '69 when the band's debut album was released. After the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival put Grand Funk on the fast track, the band topped the Billboard charts twice with both the anthem "We're an American Band" and "The Loco-Motion." They then followed that and hit the top 10 in 1975 with "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "Bad Time." The band broke up in 1976 and sporadically reunited over the years. In August 1989, Mark participated in the 20th anniversary of the Woodstock festival at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The "20 Years After" festival featured Edgar Winter, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly, Sha Na Na and others. The 15-track set included ten Grand Funk classics. The full concert is available on CD and DVD with a vinyl version of nine GFR tracks. Some 50 years later, something magical still happens when Farner takes the stage. His voice is still strong and on key, with his guitar playing still slick and lightning quick. He loves playing live where he can connect to his fans and people of all ages. This concert captures that continued devotion to his iconic stage shows.