The Evolution of Newport Folk Festival
A Yearly Exchange of Music and Joy in the Smallest State
Over the past month, I have been asked for countless fun facts about myself –– it’s one of the trademarks of college orientation. It's usually a crowd-pleaser to tell new friends that I’m from Newport, Rhode Island –– the town where Bob Dylan was booed for using electric amplifiers, altering the trajectory of folk music by opposing the notion that true folk had to be acoustic. Newport Folk, a music festival spanning sixty-five years, also famously featured the debuts of legendary artists such as Joan Baez and Kris Kristofferson. But it’s more than a music festival: it has given birth to some of the most notable pioneers of the genre, has allowed protesters to find their voices through the exchange of songs, and has united more than 10,000 devout “folkheads” every year since its 1959 inception.
The Newport Folk Festival began as a passion project of George Wein, who had already founded the Newport Jazz Festival, both of which would take place in Freebody Park. Wein began to formulate plans alongside Albert Grossman, and various singer-songwriters who would perform at the initial Folk Fest. Wein intended for the festival to represent the diversity of the genre, showcasing the variety of both rural and urban folk music. It was slated as an afternoon addition to the Jazz Festival, but Wein quickly recognized that one afternoon would not satisfy the demand for a celebration of folk music. The inaugural Festival featured performances by Pete Seeger, John Jacob Niles, and Bob Gibson, who notably surprised audiences by bringing out teenage Joan Baez for her first appearance. By the following year, the festival became a multi-day affair. By 1985, the official location for Newport Folk, as well as Newport Jazz, now separate festivals each spanning three days, became Fort Adams State Park, known affectionately by many as “The Fort.”
Beyond offering a diverse display of folk music, the festival is known for being a haven for artists to spread messages of protest and activism. Outspoken artists such as Arlo Guthrie and the Staple Singers shared pro-civil rights sentiments during their sets throughout the ‘60s. In addition to these spoken messages, artists used music to opine; one of the most poignant moments in the festival’s history occurred in 1963, when Dylan, alongside Baez and trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, performed an encore of the famous anti-war ballad “Blowin’ in the Wind.” This was followed by a moving rendition of the hymn “I’ll Overcome Some Day.” That same year, gospel quartet The Freedom Singers, accompanied by members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, as well as approximately 600 attendees of the festival, led a march through the streets of Newport, where speeches were given in support of the upcoming March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Another significant moment was Michelle Shocked’s 1990 Victory Day performance, during which she asked the crowd to drop down to simulate the death of crowds on “Hiroshima Day;” this was a protest against Rhode Island being the only state to still celebrate the “holiday.”
Today, the range of music performed at Newport Folk is such that no one would bat an eye to see an electric guitar in Dylan’s hand if he returned to the Fort. The festival now includes acts that span from “traditional,” unplugged folk, to alt-rock, soul, pop, and R&B. Often, the lineup will feature a combination of current musical sensations and veteran artists who have been well-known for many years. In 2018, Phoebe Bridgers, a name that will likely make all ears at Kenyon College perk up, performed alongside Mumford and Sons. In 2022, bedroom pop princess Clairo performed just hours before the likes of Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell took the stage. The following year, New England native Noah Kahan was slated to perform, but due to vocal fatigue, his spot had to be filled: to the audience’s wonder, James Taylor, who owns a home in Rhode Island, performed a touching acoustic set, supported by his wife and son. This past summer, the glorious Beck serenaded crowds, followed by a tear-jerking performance by Adrianne Lenker. Directly afterwards, Hozier performed with Mavis Staples and Joan Baez, both of whom were crucial to the inception of the festival. These three reprised the 1963 performance of “We Shall Overcome,” during which Joan Baez had only been twenty-two years old. This took on new significance, calling attention to the situation in Gaza, which many artists this past year directly mentioned during their sets at Folk. To hear the same words sung by a much older, and now legendary, Joan Baez, who has so much history with the town, reinforced Newport Folk’s roots in activism culture –– and was truly one of the most special moments of my life. Newport Folk is multigenerational, moving, and, without a doubt, magical.
Each year, when I step off the ferry at Fort Adams, I am reminded that I stand in the same place where, Bob Dylan challenged traditional ideas about folk music, but also where Joan Baez debuted at eighteen years old, and where Joni Mitchell, at seventy-eight, during her first full performance in over twenty years, moved an entire audience –– myself included –– to tears. While Newport Folk is a huge source of pride and Rhode Island culture for locals, festival-goers drive, sail, and fly from major cities and international countries to take part. I can’t help but marvel at the tangible sense of community built by a shared love of music –– enthusiasts come from all over the world to the relatively tiny place I call home –– and the friends I’ve made in the Folk crowd are truly unforgettable people. This year, Newport Folk will take place from July 25-27, and I am already counting down the days. Given the rich variety of musicians that have graced the Newport stage, I’ve compiled a playlist of notable songs that have been performed over the years at the Fort.