Sitars in the '60s (Part One)
The sitar (yes, the classical Indian version of a plucked string instrument) became a "thing" in rock music beginning in the mid-'60s. And yes, what a beautiful addition it was in coloring the sound with its exotic and rather mystical presence. George Harrison was at least the most well-known, if not the first, of those who brought it into western popular music (he discovered it on the sets of their movie "Help!" and played it first on "Norwegian Wood"), and I think the craze exploded thanks to Indian master Ravi Shankar's impeccable performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in summer 1967. We will spend a few weeks with these grooviest of sounds. Because we really really want to.