With the Newport Folk Festival arriving at Fort Adams State Park this weekend, we thought it would be a good time to look back at recent festival history. The past decade has seen numerous memorable performances; Jay Sweet and his team at NFF have made history year after year. Here are a few of our favorites, in no particular order. Note: The list is purely subjective and intended to elicit good vibes and happy memories – tell us about your favorite moments in comments below.
Joni Jam: Rivaling Bob Dylan’s 1965 appearance as the greatest moment ever in Newport Folk Festival history, Joni Mitchell surprised the music world with her first live appearance in 20 years at the 2022 festival. Sitting comfortably on her throne surrounded by friends including organizer Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Marcus Mumford and Taylor Goldsmith, Mitchell held the audience spellbound as she breezed through a set of classics. There wasn’t a dry eye in the fort.
Dolly comes to Newport: 2019 was (unofficially) “the year of the woman” at Newport Folk, featuring, among other things, the debut of the Highwomen, a supergroup named after the Highwaymen, a male country supergroup formed in the 1980’s. Comprised of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires, and joined at Newport by Yola, the group played its own set and then welcomed legendary star Dolly Parton, who arrived secretly with a small entourage. After poking a little fun at the host state (“we have a lot in common, we’re little, but we’re loud”) Parton covered several favorites including a version of “Jolene” that was beyond compare.
Graceland comes to Newport: Paul Simon’s appearance in 2022, slightly overshadowed by Joni Mitchell a day later, was a special moment for the artist who had previously announced his retirement from touring. Simon surprised all who were present when he took the stage during Nathaniel Rateliff’s set which was billed as a tribute to the popular star. He kicked off with a sweet version of “Graceland,” featuring Jerry Douglas on guitar, and was joined by Rhiannon Giddens for a touching take on “American Tune.” After a up-tempo “The Boxer,” Simon closed the set with a moving solo version take on “Sound of Silence.”
Judy Blue Eyes returns: Singer Judy Collins has played the festival eight times going back to 1963. In 2019, she returned to Fort Adams with songs, stories and her angelic voice in pristine form at age 80. She joined Brandi Carlile for a stellar version of the Joni Mitchell-penned “Both Side Now” before returning the next day for a cameo on the Stephen Stills folk-rock classic dedicated to Collins, “Suite Judy Blue Eyes.” Chills everywhere.
’65 Revisted: The 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan famously going electric brought together a new generation of artists dedicated to keeping the spirit of Newport Folk alive. In 2015, artists including original Dylan organist Al Kooper, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Taylor Goldsmith, Hozier, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band powered through several Dylan classics including “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Just Like a Woman,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and the all-hands-on-deck closer “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35.”
The spirit of Janis: One of the greatest songwriters of all time, Kris Kristofferson came out of retirement for an unannounced set backed by the Texas Gentlemen in 2016. Playing the indoor museum stage before moving out to the Quad, Kristofferson covered his classics including “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” “To Beat the Devil,” and “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down.” For the closer, Margo Price hopped on stage and joined Kristofferson for a moving take on “Me and Bobby McGee.”
Honorable Mention:
2015: James Taylor attempts to complete his 1969 set that was interrupted by Festival Producer George Wein who announced the moon landing.
2019: Kermit the Frog joined Jim James for a singalong of “Rainbow Connection” and more … a little gimmicky perhaps, but fans loved every minute of it.
2017: John Prine’s friends, including Jim James, Margo Price, Roger Waters and Lucius, joined him for what was to become his final appearance at Newport. A memorable set!
2021: A stripped-down event, simply called “Newport Folk,” returns spread out over six days, brought hope and joy during the pandemic.