This weekend marked the 51st anniversary of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, more commonly known as Woodstock. The three-day festival was a turning point for an entire generation and set the high-water mark for musical gatherings for years to come. In honor of the anniversary of the event, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real shared a remote cover of Joni Mitchell‘s “Woodstock”, which was written as a tribute to the legendary festival.
While the song was originally penned by folk singer-songwriter Mitchell, the version most are familiar with is the cover by Crosby, Stills, Nash. Woodstock marked the second-ever live performance by the newly-formed trio of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, who would soon after recruit Neil Young to round out their legendary harmonies.
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In the video, Lukas Nelson & POTR opt for the upbeat hard rock arrangement popularized by CSNY. The video for “Woodstock” comes in the familiar Zoom-style format that the band has utilized throughout quarantine. However in this clip, there is another panel dedicated solely to a slideshow of nature, gardens, and other greenery. When combined with the idyllic folk song, highlighting the beauty of nature and its interconnectedness to the human spirit, it makes one question whether a rolling hillside has alway been a member of Promise of the Real.
Watch Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real cover “Woodstock” by Joni Mitchell.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – “Woodstock” (Joni Mitchell)
[Video: Lukas Nelson]