Neil Young Breaks Out His ‘Favorite’ Song For 1st Performance In 42 Years

Neil Young played a special benefit concert on the campus of Ontario’s Lakefield College School on Friday night. Young went solo acoustic for his first full show of 2025, which included a performance of the long-lost deep cut “My Boy.”

Proceeds from the concert went towards the restoration of a historic 116-year-old cottage near the school. Neil loaded his 18-song performance with beloved classics such as “Comes A Time,” “Sugar Mountain,” “Heart Of Gold,” “Harvest Moon,” “Long May You Run,” “Helpless” and “Old Man,” but also treated the intimate crowd to a handful of rarities.

The biggest bust out of the night came towards the middle of the set, when Neil dusted off “My Boy.” The song written in tribute to his oldest son, Zeke, hadn’t been performed by Young on February 10, 1983 as per Sugar Mountain. Young slung on a banjo for the rare version of the tune he recorded for his 1985 album, Old Ways.

Neil Young discussed how much the song meant to him in a post on NeilYoungArchives.com published before the show. “Practicing for Lakefield, I was playing ‘My Boy,’ [and] thinking about my own dad,” wrote Young. He explained that his father, the late sportswriter Scott Young, “must have heard this song.”

Young further discussed “My Boy,” adding: “My dad was a great guy and Zeke is a wonderful son. I think ‘My Boy’ is my favorite recording of all the ones I have done. I love Ben Keith and Spooner Oldham’s playing, as well as the others on it. They are soulful musicians. I have been so lucky!”

Watch a clip of Young performing “My Boy” for the first time in over four decades below and head here to view the full fan-shot video:

Neil Young wasn’t done digging deep into his repertoire on Friday. He also performed “Love/Art Blues” for the first time in public since 2008 and “Name Of Love” from the 1988 CSNY LP American Dream after 11 years on the shelf.

Watch additional fan-shot video of Young’s performance at the benefit on Friday:

On June 18, Neil Young will kick off his Love Earth Tour in Rattvik (Sweden) Young and the Chrome Hearts will bring the tour to outdoor venues in Europe and North America through September.

Setlist (via Sugar Mountain)

Set: Comes A Time, Sugar Mountain, I Am A Child, Heart Of Gold, Field Of Opportunity, Out On The Weekend, Love And Only Love, My Boy, Mellow My Mind, Harvest Moon, Homegrown, Love/Art Blues, Long May You Run, Helpless, Name Of Love, After The Gold Rush, Love Earth, Old Man