Freedom Hall's Golden Age of Rock : The Seventies (Note this is Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee NOT Louisville, Ky.!!)

When it opened in the summer of 1974 Johnson City's Freedom Hall rocked.

Okay, the first act didn’t rock: that was comedian Bob Hope who opened Freedom Hall on July 5, 1974. But he was certainly a big name act. And by fall 1974 the place was jumping from all the rock and rollers rumbling through: Alice Cooper, KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Doobie Brothers, Bob Seger, Linda Ronstadt, REO Speedwagon, Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band. And that was just the first year!

The seventies were probably the golden age of rock and roll tours. And when Freedom Hall opened we finally got our own arena in upper east Tennessee. We no longer had to drive to Knoxville or Asheville or Charlotte to see big name acts. They came here: Elvis! The Eagles! Bruce Springsteen! The Beach Boys! Tom Jones! Engelbert Humperdinck!

You should have been here.

David Miller and I, who attended many, many of those shows, have been scouring old issues of the Times News to come up with this list of all the big name acts that played at Freedom Hall in the seventies. By our count there were 183 big time acts who played Freedom Hall in that five year period! I can’t promise it’s complete but it’s close. I have included ticket prices where we could find them.

(This post is about Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee not Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.)

Freedom Hall opened on July 5, 1974
July 5, 1974 - Bob Hope w/Karen Stanton and the Bowers Family - $10, $8, $6
Aug. 10, 1974 - Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons - $6, $5, $4
Sept. 28, 1974 – Earl Scruggs Review
Oct. 4, 1974 – Mac Davis - $6.50, $5.50, $4.50
Oct. 18, 1974 – J. Geils Band w/REO Speedwagon - $5
Nov. 8, 1974 – Mountain w/Atlanta Rhythm Section - $5
Nov. 26, 1974 – Black Oak Arkansas w/Foghat and The Stampeders - $6
Dec. 7, 1974 – Doobie Brothers
Jan. 4, 1975 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive w/Bob Seger
Feb. 17, 1975 – Joe Walsh w/Charlie Daniels Band - $5
March 8, 1975 – Marshall Tucker Band w/REO Speedwagon
March 11, 1975 – Guy Lombardo - $6, $5, $4
March 22, 1975 – Lynnrd Skynnrd w/Sensational Alex Harvey Band - $5
March 28, 1975 – Johnny Winter w/James Cotton Blues Band - $5
April 19, 1975 – ZZ Top w/Status Quo - $6
April 21, 1975 – Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
April 24, 1975 – KISS (3,000 attendance) w/Rush and Heavy Metal Kids
May 2, 1975 – Porter Waggoner w/Barbara Lea and Speck Rhodes - $5
May 10, 1975 – America w/Captain - $6
May 17, 1975 – Linda Ronstadt w/Al Stewart - $6
May 27, 1975 – Alice Cooper w/Suzi Quatro - $6
May 31, 1975 – John Prine
June 25, 1975 – Peter Frampton w/Montrose - $5
June 27, 1975 – Sonny Payne Trio - $4
July 4, 1975 – Merle Haggard w/Ronnie Reno and Leona Williams - $6, $5
July 15, 1975 – Electric Light Orchestra w/Slade and Pavlov’s Dog - $5
Aug. 4, 1975 – Eagles w/Poco
Aug. 21, 1975 – Jethro Tull w/Sensational Alex Harvey Band - $7
Aug. 30, 1975 – Uriah Heep w/Blue Oyster Cult
Sept. 19, 1975 – Marshall Tucker Band w/Wet Willie and Heartsfield - $5.50
Oct. 1, 1975 – Aerosmith w/Ted Nugent - $6.50
Oct. 10, 1975 – Four Seasons
Oct. 15, 1975 – Rod Stewart w/Faces
Oct. 22, 1975 – Black Oak Arkansas w/Foghat and Montrose - $5.50
Nov. 5, 1975 – Edgar Winter Group w/Rick Derringer, J. Geils Band and Climax Blues Band - $5.50
Nov. 9, 1975 – Lettermen - $6.50, $5,50
Dec. 6, 1975 – Black Sabbath w/Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and Ruby Starr & The Grey Ghost - $5.50
Dec. 27, 1975 – Charlie Daniels Band w/Atlanta Rhythm Section and Grinderswitch - $6.50
Jan. 10, 1976 – REO Speedwagon w/Bob Seger and Styx - $5.50
Jan. 29, 1976 – Vienna Boys’ Choir - $5
Jan. 31, 1975 – Deep Purple w/Ted Nugent and Nazareth - $5.50
Feb. 13, 1976 – Van Cliburn - $5
Feb. 28, 1976 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive w/REO Speedwagon and Trooper - $6.50
March 13, 1975 – Joe Cocker w/Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Point Blank - $6.50
March 18, 19 and 20, 1976 – Elvis - $12.50, $10 (sold out all 22,000 seats for the three shows)
April 2, 1976 – Neil Sedaka - $6.50
April 20, 1976 – Bruce Springsteen - $5.50
May 14, 1976 – President Gerald Ford – 9 a.m. - free
May 14, 1976 – Santana w/Ted Nugent and Star Castle - $5.50
May 31 – Yes w/Pousette Dart Band
June 22, 1976 - Nazareth w/Elvin Bishop & Ian Gillan - $5.50
July 19, 1976 – KISS w/Bob Seger Silver Bullet Band - $6
Aug. 16, 1976 – Doobie Brothers w/Heart - $6
Sept. 2, 1976 – Robin Trower w/Angel - $7
Oct. 10, 1976 – Donald Byrd & the Blackbyrds w/Dorothy Moore and Chocolate Milk - $7, $6
Oct. 13, 1975 – Aerosmith and Ted Nugent w/Rush - $5.50
Oct. 19, 1976 – Frank Zappa and the Mothers - $6
Oct. 15, 1976 – John Denver (Democratic fundraiser) - $100, $25, $10
Oct. 29, 1976 – Blue Oyster Cult w/Mothers Finest and The Ramones - $6
Nov. 9, 1976 – Seals and Croft - $6
Nov. 21, 1976 – Leon Russell w/Thunderbyrd starring Roger McGuinn - $6
Dec. 4, 1976 – Jerry Lee Lewis w/Jeanne Pruett and Ronnie Dove - $6, $5
Dec. 10, 1976 – Kansas w/Sea Level and Starcastle - $6
Jan. 15, 1977 – Charlie Daniels Band w/Elvin Bishop and Cate Bros. - $6
Jan. 29, 1977 – Marshall Tucker Band w/Pure Prairie League - $6
Feb. 12, 1977 – Waylon Jennings - $7, $6
Feb. 18, 1977 – Boston w/Atlanta Rhythm Section - $6
Feb. 19, 1977 – Elvis Presley - $15, $12.50
Feb. 26, 1977 – KISS w/Dictators - $6.50
March 11, 1977 – Willie Nelson w/Jerry Jeff Walker and Steve Young - $6.50, $5.50
March 19, 1977 – Dolly Parton w/Parker McGee - $7, $6
April 2, 1977 – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band w/Starz - $7, $6
April 15, 1977 – ZZ Top - $7
April 22, 1977 – Jerry Reed & George Jones - $6.75, $5.75
May 4, 1977 – Tom Jones - $9, $8
May 6, 1977 – Gregg Allman - $7, $6
May 19, 1977 – Foghat w/Styx and Head East - $6
May 30, 1977 – Ted Nugent w/Nazareth and Michael Stanley Band - $6
June 18, 1977 – Dan Fogelberg w/Fools Gold - $7, $6
June 27, 1977 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer - $8
July 4, 1977 – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Farewell Tour - $7, $6
July 6, 1977 – REO Speedwagon w/Black Oak Arkansas and Judas Priest - $6
July 20, 1977 – Captain & Tenille w/Kip Addotta - $7.50, $6.50 – Cancelled
Aug. 19, 1977 – Bad Company w/Climax Blues Band - $6
Aug. 23, 1977 – Willie Nelson w/Emmylou Harris - $7, $6
Sept. 23, 1977 – Jimmy Buffet w/Jesse Winchester - $7, $6
Oct. 4, 1977 – Tom Jones - $9, $8
Oct. 8, 1977 – Heart w/Sanford Townsend Band - $6
Oct. 13, 1977 – Ferrante & Teicher - $7.50, $6.50
Oct. 21, 1977 – Kenny Rogers w/Stella Parton and T.G. Sheppard - $7, $6
Oct. 29, 1977 – Robin Trower w/Ram Jam and Crawler - $6
Nov. 11, 1977 – Beach Boys - $7
Nov. 12, 1977 – Tom T. Hall w/Jean Shepard and Jerry Clower - $7
Nov. 19, 1977 – England Dan and John Ford Coley - $7, $6
Nov. 24, 1977 – AC/DC w The Motors and UFO
Dec. 3, 1977 – Edgar Winter’s White Trash w/Charlie Daniel’s Band and Wet Willie
Dec. 8, 1977 – Ronnie McDowell - $5
Dec. 10, 1977 – Styx w/April Wine - $7
Jan. 27, 1978 – Bob Barker’s Fun and Games - $6
Feb. 4, 1978 – Charlie Pride w/Dave and Sugar - $7, $6, $5
Feb. 22, 1978 – Engelbert Humperdinck - $10, $9
March 10, 1978 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer - $7
March 11, 1978 – Waylon Jennings w/Jessi Colter - $7, $6
March 15, 1978 – The Lettermen - $7.50. $6.50
March 17, 1978 – Rush w/The Babys and Pat Travers - $6
March 18, 1978 – Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn - $6.50, $5.50
April 1, 1978 – J.D. Sumner - $6, $5
April 7, 1978 – Blue Oyster Cult w/Angel and Godz - $7
April 14, 1978 – Willie Nelson w/Emmylou Harris - $8, $7
April 20, 1978 – Ronnie Milsap w/Eddie Rabbit - $7.50, $6.50
April 29, 1978 – Journey w/Montrose – $6
May 19, 1978 – Larry Gatlin - $7
June 3, 1978 – Foreigner w/Head East - $7
June 23, 1978 – REO Speedwagon w/Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell, Nantucket - $7
July 4, 1978 – B.J. Thomas - $7.50, $6.50
July 7, 1978 – Johnny Paycheck w/R.C. Cannon - $6, $5
July 12, 1978 – Kansas w/Dudek Finnegan Krueger Band - $7
August 18, 1978 – Seals & Croft w/Eddie Money - $7.50, $6.50
Sept. 1, 1978 – Doobie Brothers w/Wet Willie - $7
Sept. 9, 1978 – AC/DC w/Cheap Trick and The Dictators - $5
Oct. 13, 1978 – Harlem Globetrotters - $6, $5
Oct. 14, 1978 – Outlaws w/Pat Travers - $7
Oct. 21, 1978 – Ferrante & Teicher - $8, $7
November 2, 1978 – Kenny Rogers w/Eddie Rabbit and Dottie West - $7.50, $6.50
Oct. 28, 1978 – Bob Seger Silver Bullet Band
Nov. 3, 1978 – Charlie Daniels Band - $6
Nov. 9, 1978 – Chicago - $8.50
Dec. 2, 1978 – Statler Brothers w/Barbara Mandrell - $7.50, $6.50, $5.50
Dec. 26, 1978 – Atlanta Rhythm Section w/Ambrosia $6
Jan. 6, 1979 – Styx w/Cindy Bullens - $7
Jan. 24-25, 1979 – Red Skelton - $12, $10
Jan. 27, 1979 – Boston w/Sammy Hagar - $7
Feb. 2, 1979 – Heart w/Firefall - $7
Feb. 10, 1979 – Merle Haggard w/Marty Robbins - $8, $7
March 3, 1979 – Sha Na Na - $7.50, $6.50
March 16, 1979 – Waylon Jennings w/Buddy Holly’s Original Crickets - $8, $7
March 17, 1979 - Rush w/Angel - $7
March 23, 1979 – Charlie Pride - $7.50, $6.50
April 5, 1979 – Don Williams w/Charlie McCoy and Barefoot Jerry $7.50, $6.50
April 7, 1979 – Eddie Rabbit w/Gail Davies - $7.50
April 14, 1979 – Black Oak Arkansas w/Stillwater and Brownsville Station - $6.50
April 17, 1979 – Eric Clapton w/Muddy Waters - $7.50
April 27, 1979 – Cheap Trick w/TKO - $6.50
May 5, 1979 – Tom Jones w/Freddie Roman $12, $10
May 11, 1979 – Mahogany Rush w/Blackfoot and April Wine - $7
May 12, 1979 – Willie Nelson w/Leon Russell - $8, $6
May 19, 1979 – Oak Ridge Boys w/Emmylou Harris - $8, $7
June 5, 1979 – Lawrence Welk - $8.50, $7.50
June 16, 1979 – Nazareth w/Mahogany Rush - $7
July 7, 1979 – England Dan & John Ford Coley w/Counterphase - $8, $7, $6
July 27, 1979 – Molly Hatchet
Aug. 24, 1979 – Blackfoot w/Nantucket - $4
Sept. 14, 1979 – Moe Bandy w/Joe Stampley - $6, $5
Sept. 22, 1979 – Little River Band
Sept. 28, 1979 – AC/DC w/Sammy Hagar and Mothers Finest
Oct. 6, 1979 – Johnny Paycheck w/Bellamy Brothers
Oct. 20, 1979 – Blue Oyster Cult w/Rainbow - $7 plus 50 cents parking
Oct. 26, 1979 – Peter Frampton w/Pat Travers and Mothers Finest $8 plus parking
Nov. 3, 1979 – Larry Gatlin - $7, $6
Nov. 17, 1979 – Conway Twitty w/Ronnie McDowell - $8, $7
Nov. 23, 1979 – Harlem Globetrotters - $6, $5
Nov. 24, 1979 – REO w/Ronnie Montrose - $7
Nov. 30, 1979 – Statler Brothers w/Barbara Mandrell - $8, $7
Dec. 8, 1979 – Foreigner w/Wet Willie and Nantucket - $8
Dec. 14, 1979 – ZZ Top w/Point Blank - $8
Freedom Hall kicked off the eighties with teen idol Rex Smith (“You Take My Breath Away”) on Jan. 11, 1980. Tickets were $8 and $7.

Rock and roll didn’t suddenly cease coming to Freedom Hall with the advent of the eighties. Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Van Halen and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons all performed in 1980. But David and I had to draw the line somewhere. If you want a list of eighties acts, you’ll have to make your own. Count on spending four hours per year searching microfilm.