Freedom Hall - Then And Now

A few weeks ago, we finally had enough of the memories of Freedom Hall.

Together with Jared and Tom on The Buzzcutz Podcast, we were recalling all of the great rock and roll concerts we attended at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City back in the seventies and eighties and we can’t figure out what happened since then.

It seemed almost every weekend, you could join your friends in Johnson City and see a rock show from one of the nation’s biggest acts. Although we have one concert coming up in a few weeks, the most popular “shows” at Freedom Hall now are Jehovah’s Witness conventions, gospel concerts and church gatherings.

The only other rock show this year was ZZ Top back in May and you have to wonder what’s up at this – our municipal auditorium.

We’re doing some research on that question and before we discuss those ideas, we thought it would be a good idea to put together the definitive list of all the concerts held at Freedom Hall and compare what we had then and what we have now.

If anything, it’s a good index for our memories because it’s hard to recall those dates and times, but having that information connects the dots and more importantly it reveals the difference between then and now.

Perhaps after we get the list, we can all work toward finding out what the deal is at Freedom Hall.

This facility is supposed to be a “Civic Center” and I personally feel the need to wonder why the leaders and marketing department here refuse to culture this complex as an entertainment center and with-hold great cultural opportunities for the citizens in this region..

You can help. Review our list and help us gather any additional dates. Our goal is to have the complete concert calendar for Freedom Hall and we’ll start with what we know. Feel free to chime in with dates or memories.

(Above – Elvis Presley at Freedom Hall in 1976)

Freedom Hall opened on July 5th, 1974

July 5th, 1974
Bob Hope w/Karen Stanton and the Bowers Family

August 10, 1974
Frankie Vali & The Four Season

September 28, 1974
Earl Scruggs Review

October 4, 1974
Mac Davis

October 18th, 1974
REO Speedwagon
J. Geils Band

November 8th 1974
Mountain
Atlanta Rhythm Section

November 26, 1974
Foghat
Black Oak Arkansas
The Stampeders

December 7th, 1974
The Doobie Brothers

January 4th, 1975
Bachman Turner Overdrive
Bog Seger

February 17th, 1975
Joe Walsh
Charlie Daniels Band

March 8, 1975
Marshall Tucker Band
REO Speedwagon

March 11, 1975
Guy Lombardo

March 22, 1975
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Sensational Alex Harvey Band

March 28th, 1975
Johnny Winter
James Cotton Blues Band

April 19, 1979
ZZ Top
Status Quo

April 21, 1975
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

April 24, 1975
Kiss
Rush
Fly By Night Tour

May 2, 1975
Porter Waggoner
Barbara Lee
Speck Rhodes

May 10th, 1975
America

May 17th, 1975
Linda Ronstadt
Al Kooper

May 27, 1975
Alice Cooper
Suzi Quatro

May 31, 1975
John Prine

June 25th, 1975
Peter Frampton
Montrose

June 27th, 1975
Sonny Payne Trio

July 4th, 1975
Merle Haggard
Ronnie Reno
Leona Williams

July 15th, 1975
The Electric Light Orchestra
Slade
Pavlov’s Dog

August 4, 1975
Poco
The Eagles

August 21, 1975
Jethro Tull
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

August 30, 1975
Uriah Heep
Blue Oyster Cult

September 19th, 1975
Marshall Tucker Band
Wet Willie
Heartsfield

October 1st, 1975
Aerosmith

October 10th, 1975
Four Seasons

October 13, 1975
Rush
Ted Nugent
Kiss
Artful Dodger

October 15th, 1975
Rod Stewart with Faces

October 22, 1975
Black Oak Arkansas
Foghat
Montrose

November 5, 1975
Edgar Winter Group
W/ Rick Derringer
J Geils Band
Climax Blues Band

November 9th, 1975
The Lettermen

December 6th, 1975
Black Sabbath
Manfred Manns Earth Band
Ruby Star
Grey Ghost

December 27th, 1975
Charlie Daniels Band
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Grinders Switch

January 10th, 1976
REO Speedwagon
Bob Seger
Styx

January 29, 1976
Vienna’s Boys Choir

January 31, 1976
Deep Purple
Ted Nugent
Nazarath

February 13, 1976
Van Cliburn

February 28th, 1976
Bachman Turner Overdrive
REO Speedwagon
Tropper

March 13, 1976
Joe Cocker
Ozark Mountain Daredeviles
Point Blank

 

 

March 17th, 18th, 19th, 1976
Elvis Presley
– Video

April 2, 1976
Neil Sedaka

April 20, 1976
The Bruce Springsteen Band
– Bruce at Freedom Hall – Courtesy of D Cortner

May 14th, 1976
President Gerald Ford

May 14th, 1976
Santana
Ted Nugent
Starcastle

May 31, 1976
Yes
Pousette Dart Band

June 22, 1976
Nazareth
Elvin Bishop
Ian Gillan

July 19th, 1976
Kiss
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

August 16, 1976
Doobie Brothers
Heart

September 2, 1976
Robin Trower
Angel

October 10th, 1976
Donald Byrd and the Blackbirds
Dorothy Moore
Chocolate Milk

October 13th, 1976
Aerosmith
Ted Nugent

October 19th, 1976
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention

October 15th, 1976
John Denver

October 29th, 1976
Blue Oyster Cult
Mother’s Finest
The Ramones

November 9th, 1976
Seals and Croft

November 21st, 1976
Leon Russell
Thunderbyrd with Roger McGuinn

December 4th, 1976
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jeannie Pruett
Ronnie Dove

December 10th, 1976
Kansas
Sea Level
Starcastle

January 15th, 1977
Charlie Daniels Band
Elvin Bishop
Cate Brothers

January 29th, 1977
Marshall Tucker Band
Pure Prarie League

February 12th, 1977
Waylon Jennings

February 13, 1977
Stevie Ray Vaughn

February 18, 1977
Boston
Atlanta Rhythm Section

February 19, 1977
Elvis Presley 

February 26, 1977
Kiss
Dictators

March 11th, 1977
Willie Nelson
Jerry Jeff Walker
Steve Young

March 19th, 1977
Dolly Parton
Parker McGee

April 2nd, 1977
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
Starz

April 15, 1977
ZZ Top with Blackfoot
World Wide Texas Tour

April 22, 1977
Lynyrd Skynrd

May 4th, 1977
Tom Jones

May 6th, 1977
Gregg Allman

May 19, 1977
Foghat
Styx
Headeast

May 30th, 1977
Ted Nugent
Michael Stanley Band
Nazareth

June 18th, 1977
Dan Fogelberg
Fools Gold

June 27th, 1977
Emerson Lake and Palmer

July 4th, 1977
Franki Valli and The Four Season Farewell Tour

July 6th, 1977
REO Speedwagon
Judas Priest
Black Oak Arkansas

August 19th, 1977
Bad Company
Climax Blues Band

August 23, 1977
Willie Nelson
Emmylou Harris

September 23, 1977
Jimmy Buffet
Jesse Winchester

October 4th, 1977
Tom Jones

October 8th, 1977
Heart
Sanford Townsend Band

October 13th, 1977
Ferrante & Teicher

October 21st, 1977
Kenny Rogers
Stella Parton
T.G. Sheppard

October 29th, 1977
Robin Trower
Ram Jam
Crawler

November 11th, 1977
The Beach Boys

November 12th, 1977
Tom T. Hall
Jean Sheppard
Jerry Clower

November 19th, 1977
England Dan and John Ford Coley

November 24th, 1977
AC/DC
The Motors
UFO

December 3, 1977
Edgar Winter
Charlie Daniels Band
Wet Willie

December 8th, 1977
Ronnie McDowell

December 10, 1977
Todd Rungren and Utopia

January 27th, 1978
Bob Barker

January 27th, 1978
Bob Barker

February 4th, 1978
Charlie Pride
Dave and Sugar

February 22nd, 1978
Engelbert Humperdink

March 10, 1978
Emerson Lake and Palmer

March 11th, 1978
Waylon Jennings
Jessi Colter

March 15th, 1978
The Lettermen

March 17th, 1978
Rush
The Babys
Pat Travers

March 18th, 1978
Conway Twitty
Loretta Lynn

April 1st, 1978
J.D Souther

April 7th, 1978
Blue Oyster Cult
Angel
Godz

April 14th, 1978
Willie Nelson
Emmylou Harris

April 20th, 1978
Ronnie Milsap
Eddie Rabbit

April 29th, 1978
Journey
Montrose
Leblanc and Carr

May 19th, 1978
Larry Gatlin

June 3rd, 1978
Foreigner
Head East

June 23, 1978
Rainbow
Ronnie James Dio
REO Speedwagon

July 4th, 1978
B.J. Thomas

July 7th, 1978
Johnny Paycheck
R.C. Cannon

July 12, 1978
Kansas
Dudek Finnegan Kruger Band

August 18, 1978
Seals and Croft
Eddie Money

September 1st, 1978
Doobie Brothers
Wet Willie

September 9, 1978
AC/DC
Cheap Trick
The Dictators

October 8th, 1978
Seals and Croft

October 14th, 1978
Outlaws
Pat Travers

October 21st, 1978
Ferannte & Teicher

October 28th, 1978
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

November 2nd, 1978
Kenny Rogers
Eddie Rabbit
Dottie West

November 3rd, 1978
Charlie Daniels Band

November 9th, 1978
Chicago

December 2nd, 1978
Statler Brothers
Barbara Mandrell

December 26th, 1978
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Ambrosia / Cancelled
Passenger – Played instead

January 6th, 1979
Styx
Cindy Bullens

January 27, 1979
Boston
Don’t Look Back Tour
Sammy Hagar

February 2nd, 1979
Heart
Firefall

February 10th, 1979
Merle Haggard
Marty Robbins

March 3rd, 1979
Sha-Na-Na

March 16th, 1979
Waylon Jennings
Buddy Holly’s Crickets

March 17th, 1979
Rush
Angel

March 23rd, 1979
Charlie Pride

April 5th, 1979
Don Williams
Barefoot Jerry
Charlie McCoy

April 7th, 1979
Eddie Rabbit

April 14th, 1979
Black Oak Arkansas
Stillwater
Brownsville Station

April 17th, 1979
Eric Clapton
Backless Tour
Muddy Waters

April 27, 1979
Cheap Trick

May 5th, 1979
Tom Jones

May 11th, 1979
Mahogany Rush
Blackfoot
April Wine

May 12th, 1979
Willie Nelson
Leon Russell

May 19th, 1979
Oak Ridge Boys
Emmylou Harris

June 5th, 1979
Lawerence Welk

June 16th, 1979
Nazaerth
Mahogany Rush

July 7th, 1979
England Dan and John Ford Coley

July 27th, 1979
Molly Hatchet

August 24th, 1979
Blackfoot
Nantucket

September 14th, 1979
Moe Bandy
Joe Stampley

September 22nd, 1979
Little River Band

September 29, 1979
AC/DC _ Highway To Hell
Mother’s Finest
Sammy Hagar

October 6th, 1979
Johnny Paycheck
Bellamy Brothers

October 20th, 1979
Blue Oyster Cult
Robert Palmer
Rainbow

October 26th, 1979
Peter Frampton
Pat Travers
Mother’s Finest

November 3rd, 1979
Larry Gatlin

November  17th, 1979
Conway Twitter
Ronnie McDowell

November  24th, 1979
REO Speedwagon
Ronnie Montrose

November  30th, 1979
Statler Brothers
Barbara Mandrell

December 8, 1979
Foreigner
Wet Willie
Nantucket

December 14, 1979
ZZ-Top
Point Blank

January 11, 1980
Rex Smith

May 1, 1980
John Denver

June 28, 1980
Alice Cooper
– Flush The Fashion

August 15, 1980
AC/DC – Back in Black Tour
Nantucket

October 25, 1980
Van Halen

November 7, 1980
Frankie Valley and The Four Seasons

July 11, 1981
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest

October 7, 1981
Judas Priest
Point of Entry Tour

September 18, 1981
Foreigner
Billy Squier

December 12, 1981
Rush

April 23, 1982
Ozzy Osbourne
Diary of a Madman

August 20, 1982
Joan Jett and The Black Hearts
Cheap Trick

November 12, 1982
Eddie Money
38 Special

November 23, 1982
Survivor

December 4, 1982
Van Halen
The Bandit Band

January 15, 1983
Judas Priest

February 4th, 1983
Metallica – Video

Saturday, May 28, 1983
Def Leppard

June 1, 1983
ZZ-Top

June 1983
Loverboy
Joan Jett and the Black Hearts

October 18, 1983
Iron Maiden
Quiet Riot

July 6, 1984
Judas Priest

September 30, 1984
Ratt
Blackfoot

November 2, 1984
Rush

February 1, 1985
Iron Maiden – Powerslave “World Slavery Tour”
Twisted Sister

March 23, 1985
Sammy Hagar

June 8th, 1985
Bryan Adams
Survivor

August 29, 1985
RATT (headliner)
Y&T
Bon Jovi

December 2, 1985
Autograph

May 2, 1986
Ozzy Osbourne 

May 8th, 1985
The Magic of David Copperfield

January 3, 1986
Kiss

February 20, 1986
Kenny Rogers
Lee Greenwood

April 5, 1986
Ted Nugent
Aerosmith
Done with Mirrors Tour

April 11, 1986
Loverboy

May 3, 1986
Metallica

August 3, 1986
Dokken
Krokus

Friday, May 2, 1986
Sunshine Promotions presents
Ozzy Osborne
Metallica

January 20, 1987
Ratt

Friday, January 22, 1987
Def Leppard

February 13, 1987
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble

March 20th, 1987
Bon Jovi
Cinderella

July 8, 1987
NightRanger

July 22, 1987
Motley Crue
Girls, Girls, Girls Tour

October 31, 1987
Tina Turner
Go West

January 1, 1988
Kiss
Ted Nugent

January 22, 1988
Def Leppard
Hysteria

April 28, 1988
Aerosmith – The Filming of Rag Doll

April 29, 1988
Aerosmith
White Lion
– Permanent Vacation Tour

October 23, 1988
AC/DC – Soundboard Mix

December 14th, 1988
Poison 

March 23, 1990
Motley Crue

May 2, 1990
Aerosmith
– Pump Tour
With Joan Jett

July 19, 1990
Kiss

December 4, 1990
Ratt
Vixen

February 1, 1991
AC/DC
KingsX

September 15, 1991
ZZ-Top

November 8, 1992
Bad Company

February 4th, 1993
Metallica 

May 9, 1993
Joe Walsh and Glenn Frey
Party of Two

March 28, 1996
Widespread Panic

April 2, 1993
Metallica

May 1, 1997
Stone Temple Pilots

May 25th, 1998
Government Mule 

December 5, 2000
Elton John

November 20, 2001
Widespread Panic

August 30, 2002
Tesla

October 29, 2003
Three Doors Down
Seether
Shinedown

February 26, 2004
Kid Rock

March 11, 2004
John Mayer
Guster

August 23, 2006
Staind
Three Days Grace
Soil

March 8, 2008
Three Days Grace
Breaking Benjamin
Seether

May 30, 2008
ZZ Top

February 5, 2009
Old Crowe Medicine Show – Video

November 20, 2009
Jason Aldean – Video

October 13, 2011
Lee Brice
Luke Bryan – Video

December 4th, 2011
Lorrie Morgan

June 3, 2011
The Association

September 16, 2012
Elton John – Video

March 11, 2016
Elton John

March 20, 2016
Foals
Silversun Pickups – Video
Lazy Eye

April 21, 2016
Lita Ford – Video