At 8:30 p.m. on August 14, 1970, under a sky that had flashed thunder and lightning just an hour earlier, in front of 3,000 happy and moderately well-behaved fans, the show began. One of the performers that night was Bruce Springsteen, who to this day credits our fair city for his early success with the band Steel Mill. Another performer was Robbin Thompson, then lead singer for the band Mercy Flight.
Though Bruce now holds the crown as the second king of rock-and-roll, Robbin holds a crown of his own – that of a master singer/songwriter who for the past thirty years has been doing what he loves without compromise. To many, Robbin is best known for his collaboration with Steve Bassett and the lyrics that they penned together on the streets of the Fan – lyrics that would lead to the song, Sweet Virginia Breeze. In a state without any official state song, Sweet Virginia Breeze is without question our most beloved unofficial one. If you harbor any doubt, just sample the opening verse in a crowd and see how many people start singing along.
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