Newport Folk Festival has always played host to singular, incomparable, once-in-a-lifetime musical moments. As you read this you can almost certainly think of at least a handful of examples, right off the top of your head. This year carried on that tradition and then some, displaying absolute magic across the festival’s four stages over the course of the weekend. Too many headline-worthy moments were sprinkled throughout, but BGS photographer Daniel Jackson was on hand to capture this folk and roots lightning in a bottle — from the performance debut of super supergroup The Highwomen to celebrating 80 years of Mavis Staples to surprise guests that make being green and looking cheap seem easy and effortless.
Perhaps the most meaningful take away from the festival, though, was not its star-studded stages, but its mantra — a timely reminder in this particular global moment: Be present. Be kind. Be open. Be together. Folk music, in all of its forms, carves out just such a space to allow for this togetherness. See it for yourself in these photographs from Newport Folk Fest 2019.
Black Belt Eagle Scout (aka Katherine Paul)
Parker Millsap
Devon Gilfillian rocks out.
Courtney Marie Andrews
British singer/songwriter Yola's first Newport Folk Festival.
Mountain Man
Kacey Musgraves and the best dressed band in roots music.
Erin Rae performed as part of the set, The Future is Female.
Amy Ray (of the Indigo Girls)
The debut appearance of supergroup The Highwomen with guest Yola, singing their original, eponymous song.
Hozier
J.S. Ondara
The Highwomen and special guest, Sheryl Crow.
Maggie Rogers dancing it out.
An adoring crowd -- and if couldn't be among them, you certainly wished you were!
Lukas Nelson
Molly Tuttle and Bonnie Paine
Judy Collins joins Brandi Carlile during The Collaboration.
Adia Victoria wowed with her "Southern Gothic" blues.
The well-deserved headline of Newport's Saturday night -- a surprise appearance by Dolly Parton herself.
Madison Cunningham
Linda Perry joined The Collaboration as well. Can you guess what she sang?
Mavis Staples, 80 years and still going strong, with Hozier.
The Newport Folk Fest mood, right here.
Trey Anastasio
The festivals best-known banjo player -- and perhaps the only surprise guest to rival Dolly -- Kermit the Frog made an appearance Sunday night.
(L to R:) Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah are Our Native Daughters.
The cutting edge of flatpicking's future: Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle played a duo set on Sunday.
Amanda Shires brings in the next generation of performers with her daughter, Mercy.
Another Newport Folk Festival in the books for the legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliott.
Alynda Segarra (of Hurray for the Riff Raff) with Brandi Carlile
Dolly Parton and Brandi Carlile share a smile.
Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes)
Jim James and Kermit the Frog duet on "The Rainbow Connection" -- 40 years since its release.
Dolly leads the all-female, all-badass grand finale for The Collaboration in a jaw-dropping rendition of "9 to 5."
It seemed that this year’s unanimous refrain from Newport Folk Festival, from veteran attendees and newcomers alike, was a resounding, “I THINK I LOVE THIS FESTIVAL.” We think we do too. Based on these gorgeous images from NFF, we’d say each and every human being on site — on stage, in the crowd, or rocking on the waves — loves it, too. And that overwhelming love translates into palpable joy, from Mavis Staples’ first smile to Brandi Carlile’s final headbang, and in every strum, lick, and beat in between.
John Prine
The Weather Station (AKA Tamara Lindeman)
The War and Treaty (Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter)
Jason Isbell
Bedouine (AKA Azniv Korkejian)
Brandi Carlile
Kaïa Kater
Valerie June
Tank and the Bangas
Margo Price
A surprise performance by Mumford & Sons -- and a few special guests.
Phoebe Bridgers
Mavis Staples leads a star-studded finale.
Photos by Daniel Jackson
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