Dave Matthews, Mavis Staples, Joan Baez & More Join Nathaniel Rateliff At Newport Folk Festival

Nathaniel Rateliff hosted his “& Friends” set at the Fort Stage during Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, on Sunday. Rateliff assembled a rotating group of guests that included surprise appearances by Dave Matthews and Joan Baez, along with Mavis Staples, Brandi Carlile, Brandon Flowers, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Courtney Marie Andrews and John C. Reilly.

Matthews’ appearance at Newport was not announced prior to his taking the stage at the historic event. He went solo for takes on “Save Me,” “So Damn Lucky,” “Don’t Drink the Water,” “Rye Whiskey,” “Gravedigger” and “Bartender.” Carlile emerged to sing a duet on Matthews’ new song “Papertown.”

Rateliff then joined Matthews, along with the backing band for his collaborative set, which took off in earnest with Matthews’ new original “Flowers.” The core band was comprised of bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummers Eric Slick and Griffin Goldsmith, guitarist Charlie Shea, keyboardist Beau Bedford and vocalists Uncle Roy & Spice, among others.

Baez appeared later in the set, dancing onstage with Matthews during a new Rateliff song, “It Surprises Me.” Flowers joined for a cover of John Prine’s “Paradise,” Welch and Rawlings came out for “Carry It All,” and Andrews accompanied a joyful version on Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.”

Reilly joined for the standard “It Had to Be You.” Staples came on to sing a cover of Kevin Morby’s “Beautiful Strangers.”

Flowers returned for a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” dedicated to Amy Helm, Levon Helm and The Ramble. Matthews came back out for a cover of The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” The set ended with Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” and the patriotic “America the Beautiful,” featuring the full ensemble gathered together on stage.

Scroll through videos and photos of the collaborative Sunday set at Newport below: