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RICHIE HAVENS

RICHIE HAVENS Richie Havens’ fiery, poignant, always soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since he first emerged from the Greenwich Village folk-music scene together with Joan Baez and Bob Dylan in the 1960s. He played the 1966 Newport Folk Festival; the 1967 Monterey Jazz Festival; the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival; and, of course, opened the 1969 Woodstock Festival, where he held the multitudes spellbound for nearly three hours. Called back for yet another encore, he improvised a song based on an old spiritual that became ‘Freedom’, eventually reaching an audience of hundreds of millions via the Woodstock albums and movie.
Still going strong today, Havens remains a skilful performer whose interpretations often outshine the originals, even greats such as The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and Dylan’s ‘Just Like A Woman’.
Prepare to meet and enjoy a musical legend.

Click here to see Richie with Groove Armada on Youtube

For over three decades, Richie has used his music to convey messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. With more than twenty-five albums released and a touring schedule that would kill many a younger man, he continues to view his calling as a higher one. As he told The Denver Post, "I really sing songs that move me. I’m not in show business, I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me".

And recently another new, self-produced album, Grace Of The Sun, which finds Richie again composing most of the tracks. Laden with the stunning guitar work of Walter Parks and Christopher Cunningham, and featuring contributions by world musicians Badal Roy (India), Jorge Alfano (Argentina) and Hasan Isakkut (Turkey), the result is an exotic and compelling tapestry that serves as the perfect musical complement to Richie's own signature percussive strumming and rich, melodic vocals.

For Richie Havens, making music is a continuous journey, and one that advances a step further with each album. "My albums are meant to be a chronological view of the times we’ve come through, what we’ve thought about, and what we’ve done to grow and change. There’s a universal point to which we all respond, and where all songs apply to everyone".