Nobody Left to Crown

Positive political messages abound on Richie Havens’ latest CD

By Jeff Eason

Believe it or not, next year at this time will mark the 40th anniversary of the historic Woodstock Music and Arts Fair in upstate New York. The very first musician to take the stage on Woodstock’s first day—August 17, 1969—was guitarist and vocalist Richie Havens. He performed a rousing solo set featuring cover versions of the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Hey Jude” and “With a Little Help from My Friends” as well as his own stirring anthem “Freedom.”

39 years and many miles and festivals later, Havens is still at it. He continues to perform live shows at festivals during the summer and on weekends during the rest of year.

“I have a little artist’s studio here in Hoboken where I do some painting, sculpting and some new computer art and photo manipulation,” said Havens from his home in New Jersey. “For the past 29 years, I’ve been mainly a weekend musician. I don’t push it. I know where I’m going with it. The songs will come through me. Other people’s writing has a way of waking me up and inspiring me to create my own new material.”

A lot of Havens’ new material has found its way onto his latest album, Nobody Left to Crown, released this month on the Verve Forecast label. The album is a joyous yet thoughtful look at life in the early 21st century from a musician who remains defiant yet optimistic after all these years.

Nobody Left to Crown contains six new compositions written or co-written by Havens, plus a treasure trove of perfectly selected cover tunes. They include Andy Fairweather Low’s “Standing on the Water,” Clarence Greenwater’s “Hurricane Waters,” Jackson Browne’s “Lives in the Balance” and Pete Townshend’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

“Several of the songs that I picked are direct responses to the way I felt about Hurricane Katrina,” said Havens. “It’s always been that way for me with certain writers. I remember when I first came to Greenwich Village. I would walk into a café or a record store and I could feel the song that was playing there as soon as I walked in the door. It would just knock me out.”

Many artists have attempted to cover songs by the Who, and most of them come up short. In Havens’ case, he knocks “Won’t Get Fooled Again” out of the park by delivering the strumming, drumming and vocal passion required when covering one of the Who’s most anthemic hits.

“I’ve always wanted to cover that song,” said Havens. “Finally, I had the band to do it justice in the studio and we just went with it. We did it and it didn’t give me that feeling that it belonged in the ‘maybe’ box. It felt right and this is where that song belongs. It’s one of those songs that I’ve appreciated for so many years. Then all of sudden it comes out of me and the band…and it sounds familiar but brand new.”

For Nobody Left to Crown Havens selected a topnotch acoustic combo featuring himself on acoustic guitar and vocals, Walter Parks on guitar, Stephanie Winters on cello, Keith Christopher on bass and Shawn Pelton on drums. There are also some wonderful guest performances on the album including Derek Trucks adding some tastefully Eastern slide guitar licks to the hypnotic “Lives in the Balance.”

Of Havens’ original songs, highlights include the beautiful opening track “The Key” and the poignant title track “Nobody Left to Crown.” As always, Havens deftly takes the protest song—a hamfisted notion in the hands of many songwriters—and elevates it to the point of poetry. It is this ability to write about social issues in a timeless manner that allows Havens’ songs from the 1960s to retain their relevancy.

“Songs that I wrote at the time are more pertinent today than ever, with this connection that links Vietnam and Iraq,” said Havens.

While many artists of the Woodstock generation have ceased to be vital forces, Havens and a few of his brethren, as the old saying goes, keep on trucking.

“I still play shows with Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie and Melanie,” said Havens. “Alvin Lee of Ten Years After and I do festivals together every summer in England. I do quite a few gigs with him. That’s the fun of it, knowing all these people you can collaborate with.”

Havens stated that he has already begun writing and recording for his next album, tentatively titled Background and Atmospheres.

Nobody Left to Crown is available through area music stores and online at www.richiehavens.com and www.verveforecast.com.