In August 1975, the small town of Atoka, Oklahoma, became ground zero for a music industry earthquake. The original '48 Hours in Atoka' festival was intended to be 'Oklahoma's answer to Woodstock', but the two-day event on undeveloped land near Atoka Lake did more than just stage a concert, it solidified the Outlaw Country movement and left a mark of chaos and contradiction on the community.
The festival's original site, a 1,500-acre stretch of land near Atoka Lake, north of the city limits, was prepared by bulldozers and land movers who had been working for over two months. Promoters touted the 'camping facilities, water, and sewage' they hoped would draw crowds. Local carpenters built the main stage, while a stockade fence offered protection and a restricted backstage area.
The lineup gathered the artists who had rejected Nashville's polished sound, including Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, David Allan Coe, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Music historians consider this gathering to be the definitive beginning of the Outlaw Country movement, showcasing the genre's raw, independent spirit. Drawing an estimated 40,000 to 100,000 people, the festival quickly devolved into an experience of extremes. Attendees endured blistering heat and dust, with the land being 'all just dirt.' The ticket takers eventually gave up, allowing 'hundreds, if not thousands' of people to walk in for free.
