25-05-2025
Rock Icon, 79, Plays His ‘Favorite' Deep Cut For First Time In 42 Years
is known for many classic songs, which have become part of rock's history.
His early days in Buffalo Springfield gave us "For What It's Worth" and "Mr. Soul." His tenure in Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young yielded "Teach Your Children," "Our House," and "Ohio." As a solo artist, Young has made music for generations with such endearing classics as "Heart of Gold," "Old Man," "Rockin' In The Free World," and "Harvest Moon."
But the outspoken 79-year-old's favorite song is not one you'd expect, mainly because he hasn't played live for over four decades—until now.
On May 23, Young performed a benefit show at Lakefield College in Ontario, Canada. About halfway through the show, he played "My Boy," a song from his 1985 album, Old Ways. It's a song Neil hasn't performed since 1983, according to Stereogum.
The mid-80s country album produced three singles, none of which were "My Boy," making it a deep cut that only die-hard Neil Young fans would know about.
Thankfully, a fan shared footage of Neil playing the song from the 2025 concert on YouTube.
"Practicing for Lakefield, I was playing 'My Boy,' [and] thinking about my own dad," wrote Young in a blog post before the show. The rock icon said that his father, journalist and novelist Scott Young, who died in 2005, "must have heard this song."
"My dad was a great guy and Zeke is a wonderful son," continued Young. "I think 'My Boy' is my favorite recording of all the ones I have done."
Neil wrote how much he loved pedal steel guitar player Ben Keith and pianist Spooner Oldman's playing on the song, "as well as all the others on it. They are soulful musicians. I have really been so lucky!"
Young said that the benefit show would help pay for refurbishing the Canadian Heritage Farmhouse on Lakefield Campus.
"It was built in 1900 along the lakeshore, and we will be bringing it back so all the fortunate kids who come to Lakefield College from around the world can appreciate the wonderful Canadian feeling," he wrote.
Young and his wife, Daryl Hannah, visited the school's Northcote campus last fall, per The Peterborough Examiner, and fell in love with its commitment to sustainability-focused, hands-on Icon, 79, Plays His 'Favorite' Deep Cut For First Time In 42 Years first appeared on Parade on May 25, 2025
