Richie Havens

The Profile

Richie Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-guitarist from Brooklyn who emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene. He opened Woodstock in 1969 with an extended set culminating in “Freedom,” became known for percussive open-tuned guitar and a warm, smoky voice, and recorded key albums for Verve Forecast.

Opened Woodstock 1969; signature performance “Freedom”; Greenwich Village folk scene figure; recorded for Verve Forecast; collaborated with Pino Daniele on Common Ground; engaged in environmental education via the Northwind Undersea Institute.

Three enthusiastic reviews trace Richie Havens from Greenwich Village roots to his defining Woodstock opening and beyond. Mixed Bag is praised for its intense reinterpretations, Something Else Again for its rich arrangements and rhythms, and Common Ground for the cross-Atlantic collaboration with Pino Daniele. Themes include pacifism, civil rights, and Havens’s percussive open-tuned guitar and husky voice. Overall sentiment: admiring and warm.