Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

On April 22, 2013, Havens died of a heart attack at home in Jersey City, New Jersey, aged 72. 


Douglas Martin wrote in his  New York Times obituary that “Richie Havens, who marshaled a craggy voice, a percussive guitar and a soulful sensibility to play his way into musical immortality at Woodstock in 1969, improvising the song “Freedom” on the fly…”


Derek Schofield wrote in the Guardian, “Havens’s repertoire was always a mixture of his own compositions and covers of other songwriters: he had a special talent for interpreting other people’s songs, always delivered in his soulful, fiery and passionate vocal style with his attacking, urgent, rhythmic guitar accompaniment.”


Havens had requested that his cremated ashes be spread on that famous field. On August 18, 2013, the anniversary of that famous festival’s last day.  his family arranged for friends, family, and fans to gather, sing, tell strories, and remember the literal and figurative strength the Richie had brought to all those who came near him.


My wife Joyce, and I were fortunate to attend this service that was as joyful as it was tearful. 


Here are the pictures I took of that memorable day. 


(click on image to enlarge in separate window)

Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18
Standing room only
Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18
drum circle dancers

Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18
plane w Walter Parks in foreground
Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (27) Jim Joyce
Jim & Joyce Shelley

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (26) the Field
Guests await plane that would disperse Richie Haven’s ashes

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (14) Michael Lang watching
Dennis Elsas & Michael Lang (Danny Glover in background)
Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (15) John Sebastian & John Hammond
John Sebastian & John Hammod, Jr

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (18) John Sebastian harmonica
John Sebastian

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (22) Louis Gossett, Jr talking
Louis Gossett, Jr (wrote Handsome Johnny”)”

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (13) Danny Glover
Danny Glover

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (8) Walter Parks & Stephanie Winters
Walter Parks

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (6) Joel Rosenman
Joel Rosenman


2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (5) Michael Lang
Michael Lang

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (4) Dayna Kurtz
Dayna Kurtz

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (2) empty stage
stage

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (1) Richard Eastman
Richard Eastman


Jim & Joyce Shelley

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (24) Wade_edited-1
photographer: Wade Lawrence, Director of Museum at Bethel Woods

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (23) Jose Felicicano playing cropped_edited-1
Jose Feliciano
Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (9) Richie Havens brother, maybe
Richie Havens’s brother

2013-08-15 Richie Havens Memorial Service @ BWCA (8) Walter Parks & Stephanie Winters
Walter Parks & Stephanie Winters
Richie Havens Memorial Service 2013-08-18

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