PORTA

The legend of country and folk festivals in past Czechoslovakia. Many famous artists started there such as Rangers, Greenhorns, Michal Tučný, Jaroslav Nohavica, etc.
     History of this famous festival started in 1967 in Ústí nad Labem. The first name of it was Celostátní festival country western music (National festival of country western music). Name Porta was derived by Labe Valley, which has name Porta Bohemica. Organizers were group of fans with Jiří Šosvald (nick name Western Grandfather) as head of them.
     Festival consists from regional competitions, the winners upgrade. This competition gets opportunity to amateur’s bands and freshly, who play folk, country and tramp song.
     In the beginning the festival has two parts – country&western and tramp bands. In the second year there was established writer’s competition. In the next years there were established new categories (tramp song, folk). Interest of bands was huge. Interests were above festival’s opportunities,
Porta has success, radios brought Porta’s songs, news started to distribute songbooks with tramp songs, in 1969 were recorded the first SP and EP.
     In 1970 was created bulletin Portýr and from that time it’s interconnected with each Porta festival.
     Normalization forgot not even Porta. Therefore organizer had to change. SZM (Socialist Youth Union) became him. At the same time there had to be changing also categories and for next years competition was only in writer’s category. Category Folk&Country was out of competition.

Some results of winners:

1967 – Country & Western:

• 1.Rangers (Praha)
• 2.Greenhorns (Praha)
• 3.Strings of Tennessee (Praha)
• 4.AZ septet (Ústí n. Labem)
• 5.Caravell Western (Trnava)

      – Tramp Bands:

• 1.Mohykáni (Praha)
• 2.Stopa (Pardubice)
• 3.Peklo (Semtín)
• 4.Velká naděje (Praha)
• 5.Compardos (Přibyslav)

1968 – Writers:

• 1.Krinolína, author – Kapitán Kid
• 2.Poslední míle, author – Miki Ryvola
• 3.Už nejsi, Nevado, author – Jenda Korda, Arnošt Mošna
• 4.Trail to Island, author – Miki Ryvola
• 5.Savana, author – Kapitán Kid

      – Country & Western:

• 1.Rangers (Praha)
• 2.Greenhorns (Praha)
• 3.Truckers
• 4.White Stars
• 5.Spirituál kvintet

      – Tramp Bands:

• 1.Vavasatch (Brno)
• 2.Červánek
• 3.Hoboes (Čechy)
• 4.Stopa (Pardubice)
• 5.Peklo (Semtín)

1969 – Writers:

• 1.Vyhaslý oheň, author – Milan Šebesta
• 2.Pojď už spát, author – Jiří Šosvald
• 3.Zasněný cowboy, author – Jan Kněžínek

      – Traditional Country:

• 1.White Stars (Praha)
• 2.Bluegrass Hoppers (Ústí n. Labem)
• 3.Strangers (Ústí n. Labem)

      – Modern Country:

• 1.Rivalové (Praha)
• 2.Caravell Western (Trnava)
• 3.Ontario (Ostrava)

      – Folk:

• 1.Minnesengři (České Budějovice)
• 2.The Worried Man (Vídeň)
• 3.Perpetual Vagabonds (Praha)

      – Tramp song:

• 1.Scarabeus (Praha)
• 2.Hoboes (Čechy)
• 3.Červánek

1970 – Writers:

• 1.Rumovej ďas, author – Kapitán Kid
• 2.Vyhaslý oheň, author – Milan Šebesta
• 3.Šťastnej tulák, author – Wabi Ryvola

      – Traditional Country:

• 1.Smokey Mountain Rangers (Amsterodam)

      – Modern Country:

• 1.Strangers (Ústí nad Labem)

      – Folk:

• 1.Spirituál kvintet (Praha)

      – Tramp song:

• 1.Scarabeus (Praha)
• 2.Hoboes (Čechy)
• 3.Compardos (Žďár nad Sázavou)

1971 – Writers:

• 1.Pane Bóže vod tý lásky zachraň nás, author – Miki Ryvola
• 2.Tommy, author – Wabi Daněk
• 3.Maděra, author – Kapitán Kid

      – Tramp song:

• 1.Plížák (Sokolov)
• 2.(Praha)
• 3.Island (Ústí nad Labem)

1972 – Tramp song:

• 1.Pacifik, Bizoni
• 2.Termiti, Plížák
• 3.Stopa

1976 – Tramp song:

• 1.Brontosauři, Krakatit
• 2.Slzy, Variace
• 3.Verumka, Vodnáři, Wyjou

Discography:
Porta, Supraphon 1980
Cesty ’85, Panton na Portě – LIVE, Panton 1985
Cesty, Svojšický slunovrat – LIVE, Panton 1986
Porta ’82, Supraphon 1983
Porta ’83, Supraphon 1984
Porta ’84, Supraphon 1985
Porta ’85, Supraphon 1986
Porta ’86, Supraphon 1987
Porta, Supraphon 1988
20 let Porty, Supraphon 1986 (2 LP desks)
Porta ’88, Supraphon 1988
Porta 1990, Porta 1990