From this era, several prominent solo artists led the so-called singer-songwriter wave into the 1970s. In that number were the unique talents of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, who were praised for their songwriting excellence above all else. Often credited with similar lyrical talents, Young is also distinguished by his eclectic and innovative instrumental approach.
Born in November 1945 in Toronto, Canada, Young deemed his childhood dream of becoming a musician a necessity since he was ill-suited to any other profession. “I totally have no other talent, and I would be totally out of work if I did anything else,” he told Melody Maker in 1988. “I’ve trained all my life for this race, and now I’m in it,” Young added, thankful for his achievements to date.
In the early 1960s, Young’s musical aspirations led him to Detroit, where he became a crucial figure in the thriving folk-rock scene. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, and Dewey Martin, with whom he formed Buffalo Springfield in 1966.
Despite Buffalo Springfield’s success, Young became restless, yearning for independent creativity. Duly, he pursued a solo career, releasing his eponymous debut solo album in 1968.
After the Gold Rush and Harvest kicked off Young’s most impactful decade with a fine exhibition of singer-songwriter material, these releases mainly consisted of poignant ballads and rural soundscapes delivered over stripped-back piano and guitar instrumentation. ‘Old Man’ from Harvest was a prevalent moment in which Young reflected on fame from the perspective of an old man on his newly purchased Northern California ranch.
In the film Heart of Gold, Young remembered writing ‘Old Man’ at a time when he had become “a rich hippie for the first time”. The “old man” in the song was inspired by ranch hand Louis Avila, who befriended Young and took him for a ride in his Jeep. “He gets me up there on the top side of the place, and there’s this lake up there that fed all the pastures, and he says, ‘Well, tell me, how does a young man like yourself have enough money to buy a place like this?’ And I said, ‘Well, just lucky, Louis, just real lucky.’ And he said, ‘Well, that’s the darnedest thing I ever heard.'”
The final pillar ensuring Young’s immortal legacy is his work with Crazy Horse. With a shifting roster, the band has been associated with Young since 1969, offering a fuller sound to live performances and studio sessions when needed. Young has recorded some of his most iconic albums with the band, including Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Zuma, but their greatest triumph together was 1979’s Rust Never Sleeps. The album’s heavily distorted live recordings, especially ‘Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)’, lay the groundwork for the emergence of grunge in the 1990s, earning Young the moniker ‘Godfather of Grunge’.
Excerpt from Farout - by Jordan Potter Wed 17 April 2024 16:30, UK
Kicking off with two stops in San Diego, Neil Young and Crazy Horse will visit Arizona, Georgia, New York, Toronto and more, where they will finish the tour in Chicago. Tour Dates Below.
However, they’ll venture north of the border for a show in Toronto in May. At this time, Young and the band haven’t announced any supporting acts. So, it’s likely they’ll be playing a massive headlining set on all 16 stops of their upcoming trek. Check Ticketmaster for presale tickets.
The calendar including all tour dates and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found here, Source The New York Post:
Neil Young tour dates | Ticket prices start at |
---|---|
April 24 at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA | $125 |
April 25 at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA | $126 |
April 27 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ | $80 |
May 1 at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, TX | $81 |
May 2-5 at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in New Orleans, LA (four-day pass) |
$665 |
May 2 at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas, TX | $83 |
May 5 at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, AL | $175 |
May 7 at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA | $88 |
May 8 at the FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, TN | $122 |
May 11 at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA | $79 |
May 12 at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, NJ | $72 |
May 14 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY | $150 |
May 15 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY | $123 |
May 17 at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA | $97 |
May 18 at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, CT | $189 |
May 20 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, ON, CA | $95 |
May 22 at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI | $110 |
May 23 at the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago, IL | $130 |
July 8 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, ON, CA | $207 |
July 11 at the Ottawa BluesFest in Ottawa, ON, CA (single-day pass) |
$268 |
July 21 at the ICE District in Edmonton, AB, CA | $250 |
July 23 at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, BC, CA | $409 |
Sept. 19-22 at the Bourbon and Beyond Festival in Louisville, KY (four-day pass) |
$292 |