At 77, Neil Young is still a hippie at heart: ‘I feel a lot of hope’
Neil Young is now 77, but he’s still pushing back the curtain on his life to share his thoughts and memories with the world. As he nears the end of a long, successful career, Young discusses his love for music, his wife and family, his love for his own songs, and why he believes in God.
Young is about to turn 74 years old, and I’ve been able to catch up with him recently for the second time in the span of a few months. He’s still doing shows and touring relentlessly as he nears completion of his Farewell Tour. The first time I caught him performing, he was just getting started, and was still a young man, still free-spirited, and full of hope. I’ve been fortunate to be able to watch him live more than once in the span of a few months.
At 77, Young is still an old soul. He’s comfortable wearing long sleeves, button-ups, jeans, and a baseball cap. He’s not particularly flashy in his appearance or appearance. He’s not one of those who’s too concerned with trying to get noticed or get a reaction for the sake of it. He’s not one of those who feels obliged to have a signature look or style, and who has a sense of personal flair. He’s not one of those who’s concerned with things like that, and who has to make an effort to be more comfortable in their own skin. He’s not one of those who has to try to make you care about whatever he’s saying or doing.
He hasn’t had much of a public persona since 1996, with one last comeback album in 2010, but he still goes out and plays his guitar and sings his own songs. He’s still trying to find his voice as an artist, and is still making new music. He still does a lot of live shows—many of which involve him inviting long-time friends and fans of his song, to join him onstage—but he never gets boring.
He’s a quiet soul, and a very private person. He never does interviews, he never does anything to draw attention to himself,
