Star-Studded Lineup: Who Performed at Montreal Expo 67

Expo 67 wasn't just a world's fair—it was a cultural watershed. The entertainment roster reads like a hall-of-fame ballot across jazz, rock, folk, and world music.

Jazz Royalty

• Sarah Vaughan — "The Divine One" at peak vocal power
• Miles Davis — Second great quintet era (Shorter, Hancock, Carter, Williams)
• Duke Ellington — Late-career maestro, still composing/arranging
• Oscar Peterson — Canadian virtuoso, hometown triumph

Rock Icons

• The Beatles — August 1966 (pre-Expo, but Montreal Forum concert part of Expo buzz)
• The Rolling Stones — April 1967, Montreal Forum (riot, police, legend)

Canadian Legends

• Joni Mitchell — Pre-"Blue," pure folk clarity
• Leonard Cohen — Pre-debut album, poet-turned-singer
• Paul Anka — Established hitmaker, smooth crooner

World Music Pioneer

• Ravi Shankar — Sitar maestro introducing Indian classical to Western masses

Context

Expo 67 (April–October 1967) drew 50M+ visitors. The performing arts program—Place des Arts, Expo Theatre, La Ronde—hosted 5,000+ events. The artists above headlined major concerts; dozens more played pavilions and stages daily.

Legacy: Many Canadians cite Expo 67 performances as their first live exposure to world-class jazz, rock, and global music—shaping a generation's cultural appetite.