Which band became the first act to sign a Woodstock contract?

Creedence Clearwater Revival became the first act to sign a contract for Woodstock. The band committed in April 1969, several months before the festival opened at Bethel, New York.

Creedence was already one of the major American rock groups of the period, known for songs such as “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Green River.” Its agreement helped persuade other prominent performers that the still-developing festival was a serious booking opportunity. The contract reportedly paid the group $10,000.

The band eventually performed after midnight on August 17, during a long overnight sequence that also included the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Sly and the Family Stone, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane. John Fogerty later recalled that the group faced a difficult, late-night set before a tired audience.

Creedence’s Woodstock appearance became less visible than its reputation might suggest because the performance was omitted from the original 1970 documentary film at Fogerty’s request. That omission is why some fans remember the band as less central to Woodstock than it actually was.