Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Welcome David Crosby At Newport Folk Festival

The 59th year of the Newport Folk Festival began on Friday at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island with sets from Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Margo Price, Amanda Shires, Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, The Wood Brothers, Lucius and more. It wouldn’t be Newport Folk without jaw-dropping collaborations and day one featured a handful including David Crosby sitting-in with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

Croz’s guest spot with Isbell and his longtime band came towards the end of their headlining set. David Crosby first joined in for “Wooden Ships” off Crosby, Stills & Nash’s self-titled 1969 studio album. Isbell, Crosby, Amanda Shires, Sadler Vaden, Jimbo Hart, Chad Gamble and Derry DeBorja then proceeded to tear into the Neil Young-penned Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young masterpiece “Ohio.”

Jason told the crowd, “It is important for this generation of musicians to be connected to those 30 or 40 years ago who tried to change the world” between songs according to the Providence Journal. The audience sang along to the end of “Ohio” at Isbell’s urging.

The surprise guest appearance came towards the end of a 15-song set from Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit heavy on material off 2017’s The Nashville Sound. Isbell & Co. bookended the performance with The Nashville Sound tunes by opening with “Hope For The High Road” and following Crosby’s cameo with a “If We Were Vampires” closer. Southeastern was well-represented by “Elephant,” “Stockholm,” “Cover Me Up” and “Flying Over Water.”

Check out footage of “Ohio” shared by Bob McGrath:

Watch “Wooden Ships” captured by Bob McGrath:

Price’s set also featured special guests as John Prine surprised festival-goers by emerging to perform “In Spite of Ourselves.” Margo additionally teamed with Brandi Carlile on Dolly Parton’s “9 To 5.” Newport Folk rolls on today with sets from Hiss Golden Messenger, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real, Jenny Lewis, Cheech & Chong and many others. Select sets can be streamed live via NPR Music.