Neil Young Introduces The Chrome Hearts With Spooner Oldham At Farm Aid

After well over 50 years, Neil Young still knows how to keep fans in suspense. Young finally returned to the stage on Saturday at Farm Aid for the first time since he canceled his tour with Crazy Horse and used his set to debut his new Chrome Hearts project.

Farm Aid board member Neil Young’s set at this year’s benefit held at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York was billed merely as “Neil Young.” While the legendary musician previously announced Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts shows at The Capitol Theatre for tonight (Monday, September 23) and tomorrow (Tuesday, September 24), it was unclear in what format he would perform at SPAC.

When fellow board member John Mellencamp finished his set at SPAC, a curtain was raised to allow stagehands to slide Young’s set into place. At that point it became clear Neil Young would perform with a band. However, there was a keyboard rig and The Chrome Hearts were originally announced as multi-instrumentalist Micah Nelson along with the POTR rhythm section of drummer Anthony Logerfo and bassist Corey McCormick.

Neil Young strode out with Micah Nelson, Anthony Logerfo and Cory McCormick at SPAC but fans were shocked and awed by the fifth musician who emerged. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and longtime Neil Young collaborator Spooner Oldham played organ with The Chrome Hearts and is apparently a member of the new band.

The Alabama-bred Oldham had last performed with Young nearly a decade prior on October 25, 2015, when he accompanied Neil Young and Promise of The Real at the second of two 2015 Bridge School benefit concerts. Spooner Oldham is best known as part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section whose signature sound can be heard on such legendary songs as Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally,” Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman” and Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

The Neil Young and Spooner Oldham musical relationship started with the latter’s appearance on the former’s 1978 studio album, Comes A Time. Oldham would go on to contribute to several other Neil Young albums and was a member of such Young-fronted groups as The Stray Gators, The International Harvesters and The Prairie Wind Band. Spooner was also part of the band that backed Crosby Stills Nash & Young on their last tour in 2006.

Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts kicked off their set with a three-song run of tunes from 1992’s Harvest Moon — “From Hank To Hendrix,” the title track and “Unknown Legend” — featuring Young on acoustic guitar. The famed musician moved over to upright piano for his first “Journey Through The Past” since 2019 and “Love Earth.”

The huge crowd gave its biggest reaction next when Young launched into “Heart Of Gold.” Neil then dusted off his iconic Old Black guitar for performances of the rollicking “Homegrown” and beloved classic “Powderfinger” to wrap the set.

Watch Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts’ debut performance below:

Setlist

Set: From Hank To Hendrix, Harvest Moon, Unknown Legend, Journey Through The Past, Love Earth, Heart Of Gold, Homegrown, Powderfinger