Watch Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young 1969 Nostalgic ‘Down By The River’ Performance

Neil Young’s “Down By The River” song is already classic in its own way, but there’s still a hint of character that needs to be done. Fortunately for him, he’s had a fair backup of legendary singers, all under the band name of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

“Down By The River” is written by Young when he was feverishly sick, along with 2 other songs, released from his 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere with his then-band Crazy Horse. The track became a part of his impressive catalog and is often considered as one of his finest compositions. However, much of its amazing live performances could be credited back to CSNY and their ability to harmonize that brought out the best elements on the song.

This ballad tells us about a murderer who killed his lover after a desperate cry when he found out that she cheated. This epic masterpiece is frightening and capable of its fame, but with CSNY controlling this song on their own flourish, it’s an absolute win.

The video below shows the quartet performing the track at the 1969 Big Sur Folk Festival, in California. The festival wasn’t as huge and as celebrated much like its contemporary Woodstock, but still a relevant piece of our music history. Apart from CSNY, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez were among the top-billed artists who performed there.

Watch the video below.