Canadian rock icon Neil Young celebrated his 80th birthday in signature style this Wednesday, taking his distinctive 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible for a cruise around Oxnard, California. The vintage vehicle features a modern twist - a rechargeable biodiesel-powered microturbine engine, reflecting Young's longstanding environmental principles.
A Life of Principle and Protest
The birthday boy made a statement with his choice of headwear, sporting a Jimmy Kimmel Live! cap that he likely acquired during the talk show host's three-episode suspension in September. The suspension followed Kimmel's criticism of former President Donald Trump after comments made by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Young's birthday attire choice aligns with his reputation for vocal activism. On October 8, the two-time Grammy winner announced he was removing his music catalogue from Amazon Music in protest of billionaire founder Jeff Bezos' support for what Young described as "a US government that neglects public welfare."
This move came just two months after Young declared he was "no longer using Instagram" due to Meta's "unconscionable" use of chatbots with children, demonstrating his consistent willingness to take stands that align with his progressive values.
Personal Life and Creative Partnerships
Young's third wife, actress Daryl Hannah, released her documentary Neil Young: Coastal on April 17, which she filmed during his 2023 solo tour. The 64-year-old Blade Runner alum shared insights with Forbes about her husband's character.
"His sense of humour takes me by surprise all the time; his observations, his timing and the wry nature of it," Hannah revealed. "But I was surprised that he was nervous, I was surprised that he was so nervous before the first show. And of course, I'm always taken by surprise by what song he's going to play because you never know."
Hannah earned a Grammy Award nomination in 2023 for her musical contributions to her 2022 documentary BARN (A Band, a Brotherhood, a Barn), which focused on Young and his backing band Crazy Horse. The inseparable couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary on August 25.
Family History and Future Honours
Young's personal life has seen significant chapters. He was still married to his second ex-wife, The Bridge School co-founder Pegi Morton, in April 2014 when he and Hannah first led a Washington, DC march protesting the Keystone Pipeline. Three months later, the rocker filed for divorce from Pegi after 36 years of marriage. The divorce was finalised in 2016, three years before she died from ovarian cancer.
Morton mothered Young's 41-year-old daughter Amber and 47-year-old son Ben, who has cerebral palsy. The Farm Aid co-founder also fathered 53-year-old son Zeke, who coincidentally also has cerebral palsy, during his five-year relationship with the late Carrie Snodgress, which ended in 1975. Young's first marriage to Susan Acevedo lasted less than two years, ending in divorce in 1970.
The music legend's career continues to receive recognition. Young is next scheduled to be inducted into the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame on March 24 at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre in Boston. This honour goes to "a contemporary performer whose initial impact on the genre was at least 25 years before the year of induction."
Young's previous accolades include induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - as a solo artist in 1995 and as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997.
The Oscar-nominated songwriter maintains impressive streaming numbers with 10.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has released 45 studio albums throughout his career. He remains best known for timeless classics including Heart of Gold, Harvest Moon, Old Man and Rockin' in the Free World.
Young also spent over 30 years performing with the super-group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and his influence has extended to countless artists across generations, including Kurt Cobain, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Thom Yorke, and many others who have cited his work as inspirational.
