OT: Your first concert

47 years ago, a disaster occured deep in the Appalachian shadows of Kentucky. 38 coal miners were sacrificed in a deep mine explosion referred to today as The Hurricane Creek Mine Disaster. 

In Leslie county, of Kentucky, the typical vocations offered at that time were coal mining, or dirt poor farming. Everyone in that mine, ages 17 to 64, went in there to provide for their families. It is just what you did. It was just what you had to do.

The world descended upon the community of Hyden, offering prayers and help, hoping for many miracles for those trapped, and ultimately perished.

The 9 people that owned that mine did nothing to make it safe, and that type of mining was often called a "dog hole". They were not built for safety, just a place to bury your faithful pet.

A memorial was placed in Hyden, Kentucky to those that died, that erroneously states the miners sacrificed their lives for coal. They did not sacrifice their life for coal, the owners sacrificed their lives for the money from coal.

The Band, because of certain connections they had within Southeastern Kentucky, Were amongst those that were captivated by the story, reached out to the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, to offer support in any way imaginable.

Aside from making a sizable donation, thier actions following the Hyden Mine Disaster, lead the way for others to step up, across all communities, and all genres of the music world. The Band did a charity concert donating all proceeds to the families which suffered losses.

The 107 relatives who lost their fathers, brothers, sons, uncles, cousins, fiancees, and loved ones were helped tremendously by the movement of The Band.

That was my first concert I had ever attended. It was held at Mememorial Collisium, in Lexington, Kentucky. 1000's gathered outside, as Levon Helm, requested the windows and doors stay open. People passed the buckets for donations, and those buckets were filled.

It was a somber evening, yet one, after a series of mining disasters, that eventually lead to many changes in the coal mining industry, forcing the owners to be responsible for the lives of those that worked in the mines.

My favorite concert of my life.

@YukonRon the great story teller of the forum.  Wow.