Emmylou Harris & The Civil Wars "Evangeline"

I caught the end of The Civil Wars set, when they took a moment to show some very sincere appreciation for the Newport Folk audience.

When you're a band like The Civil Wars, and your performance is all about quiet dynamics and chemistry, well, an outdoor music festival is not always conducive. Hootin' and hollerin' and folks not paying attention can often be the scene.

But folks were there to see The Civil Wars. To listen to The Civil Wars.

I'm sure that after years of playing in small venues, bars, coffee houses, etc, for less than attentive audiences, flashed before them, as they seemed to realize that they had reached a place where, when they sang, the audience paid attention.

But the real moment of joy came an hour later, as Emmylou Harris invited them to the Main Stage, to join her for "Evangeline."

I was on the side of the stage, and I could see Joy Williams sing a line, and then turn toward Emmylou Harris to watch her sing, with this look that was purely ecstatic, a look that said, "I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm so lucky."

Seeing an artist appreciate their audience, appreciate that they are appreciated, and seeing them radiate it back, well that just makes me appreciate The Civil Wars even more.

You can hear The Civil Wars' set and Emmylou Harris' set in the mvyradio archives.

Hey, it's Garth Hudson's birthday, so I thought I'd post The Last Waltz version of "Evangeline." Check him out on accordion!

See the video on Youtube.