NEW YORK (AP) Michael Lang, a co-creator and promoter of the 1969 Woodstock music festival that served as a touchstone for generations of music fans, has died.

Michael Pagnotta, a spokesperson for Langs family, said Sunday the 77-year-old had been battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma and passed away Saturday at New Yorks Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

He was absolutely an historic figure, and also a great guy, Pagnotta, who said he had known Lang for about 30 years, told The Associated Press. Both of those thing go hand in hand.

Along with partners Artie Kornfeld, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman, Lang put together the festival billed as three days of peace and music in the summer of 1969 as the Vietnam War raged and led increasing numbers of disaffected young Americans to turn away from traditional mores and embraced a lifestyle that celebrated freedom of expression.