On Monday, folk legend Richie Havens died of a heart attack in his New Jersey home. He was 72 years old.
Havens was best known as Woodstock’s opening act. As the very first musician to play in the legendary 1969 festival, which included acts like Jimi Hendrix, The Who and Janis Joplin, Havens set the tone for what became one of the most significant moments in American music history.
Although a staple of the ’60s Greenwich Village folk scene, it wasn’t until after his set at Woodstock that Havens gained national attention. He earned his acclaim the old-fashioned way: with a mind-blowing rock show. With a sweat-stained back and a furious strumming style, Havens banged out hours of material, including an improvised version of the spiritual “Motherless Child,” which would later become known as “Freedom.” Along with Hendrix’s brilliant instrumental version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Freedom” impeccably captured the spirit of not only a festival but also of an
entire nation.
In addition to his prolific catalog of original content, Havens was also known for his soulful covers, specifically of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. In fact, his cover of “Here Comes the Sun” was one of his biggest hits. Performers like The Beatles and Dylan are often viewed as untouchable, but Havens’ heartfelt vocals always had a way of breathing new life into their songs.
Havens’ affiliation with Dylan grew stronger when he appeared in the film “I’m Not There,” Todd Haynes’ sprawling Dylan biopic. In a scene with child actor Marcus Carl Franklin, he performed a hard-hitting cover of “Tombstone Blues” that proved to be one of the film’s highlights. Havens’ world-worn voice provided a perfect balance to Franklin’s childish confidence.
It’s fitting — or as fitting as a man’s untimely death can be — that Havens died on Earth Day, since his smoky vocals often felt like the voice of our planet. Gruff and authoritative yet gentle and reassuring, his voice brought to life a father figure for an entire generation of music lovers.
A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, April 24 print edition. Josh Johnson is arts editor. Email him at [email protected].
