Santana Drops Out of Woodstock 50

Santana, who performed at the original Woodstock, has dropped out of the Woodstock 50 festival taking place next month.

Santana spokesman Michael Jensen said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Carlos Santana will not be performing at the 50th Woodstock celebration at Merriweather Post. Santana with The Doobie Brothers will be performing August 17th at Bethel Woods Center For The Arts in Bethel, New York (near the original site at Max Yasgur’s farm)."

Las Vegas Review-Journal also reports that Country Joe McDonald and former Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian, who like Santana performed at the original Woodstock, have also dropped out of Woodstock 50.

These artists join Dead & Company, Jay Z and John Fogerty as acts that have pulled out of the anniversary festival since its move from upstate New York to Columbia, Maryland and the Merriweather Post Pavillion first reported by Bloomberg. As a result of the venue move, Billboard reports that artists have been formally released from their obligation to appear at the festival, since artists were originally contracted to perform in Watkins Glen, N.Y.