With live shows currently on the shelf indefinitely, the only way to experience the collaborative nature of a festival is (sadly) through a livestream. One of the best of the year so far was what the Newport Folk Festival put together. The Rhode Island-based event put together some great collaborations, including a befitting finale.
My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy, Julien Baker, Lucius, Grace Potter, Warren Haynes, Zola, Valerie June and many, many more covered Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” As you’d expect, all of the artists recorded their parts while at home in quarantine.
The tender version of the song was a reminder of what this year has been so far, with no signs of it letting up anytime soon.
Earlier in the day, clips featuring a Gillian Welch cover from Courtney Barnett and Phoebe Bridgers and Roger Waters teaming up with Lucius to cover John Prine’s “Hello in There” were shared by the festival as well.
The all-star collaboration was part of Newport Festival’s 86-minute stream Newport, Our Voices Together. The fundraiser featured James Taylor, Tom Morello, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett and others, raising money for the Newport Festivals Foundation.
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