One of the most intriguing riddles in rock 'n' roll history is: How did Blood, Sweat & Tears get their name? In Al Kooper's book Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards, the truth is finally revealed: "One particular night, Jimi Hendrix, B. B. King, myself, and an unidentified drummer and bass player were going at it all night at the Cafe Au Go Go... At daybreak, when we finished playing, they put the house lights on and somebody observed: 'Christ! Look at the organ! There's blood all over the keyboard!' Sure enough, I had cut my hand playing, and in the state of bliss induced by my compatriot's sound had not felt a thing. What a great album cover, I thought. No. What a great name for a band."
Al Kooper formed the band in 1967, but left after their first album. His replacement was the Canadian singer David Clayton-Thomas, who became the voice of the group. Clayton-Thomas brought the song "Spinning Wheel" to the group, which became their most enduring hit.
The group was huge in 1969, which was a good time to be popular since it meant prime position at Woodstock. BS&T were slated to earn $15,000 at the festival, second only to Jimi Hendrix. Since Woodstock was a financial disaster, they didn't get paid. They were also not included in the movie, since they would have earned a percentage of the gross.
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