One of the most anticipated folk-oriented music festivals, The Newport Folk Festival kick-started its three-day musical extravaganza on July 26. It was started in July 1959 by George Wein. The festival remains a central point in the ever-increasing genre of “folk” music.
The first day saw female powerless in the display. It started with an exhilarating debut performance by the Highwomen. This group consists of Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby. Joining them were special guests Yola and Jason Isbell, playing the role of sideman. Besides them, another woman band, I’m With Her enthralled the audience as they sang hit numbers. This group includes Sara Watkins, Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz.
Talented Artists Perform
The festival saw Grammy award-winning artist Kacey Musgraves gracing the stage. She performed songs from her 2018 album, Golden Hour. She sang “Butterflies,” “Lonely Weekend,” and “Golden Hour” as the audience cheered.
Furthermore, Great sets came from Charley Crockett, Adia Victoria, and Warren Haynes. Electrifying performances came from Black Belt Eagle Scout, Liz Cooper, and the Stampede. Likewise, Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow started her production with Brandi Carlile on Crow’s hit “If It Makes You Happy.” She followed it with George Harrison’s “Beware of Darkness.” She concluded her act by singing on her hit “Every day Is a Winding Road.”
Other Highlights
These include performances by Cooks In the Kitchen. This consists of brothers Phil Cook and Brad Cook. The audience cheered as they sang some of their hit songs. Tony-award winner Anaïs Mitchell and Amy Ray joined them as guests. In addition to that, Kyle Craft and Showboat Honey made the audience groove as they sang songs like “2 Ugly For NY” and “Sunday Driver.”
The evening came to a close with Phil Lesh, legendary Grateful Dead bassist, running through a Dead-inspired set of tunes with his band. Also, he welcomed several guest musicians that included sit-ins by Warren Haynes, Benmont Tench, and Sheryl Crow.