Neil Young, Stephen Stills to Headline Light Up the Blues Autism Fundraiser

Neil Young hasn’t made an appearance on stage since September 2019. Despite the folk icon often perpetuating the idea that he may never tour again, he is set to head back out into the limelight for the Light Up the Blues charity show.

The performance proceeds will go toward Autism Speaks, a non-profit autism awareness organization. The show will be held at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on April 22.

Elsewhere on the billing are Stephen Stills, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Chris Stills, Oliver Stills, and other special guests. Tickets for the show will be on sale on February 17 at 10 a.m. local time. Find more ticket information, HERE.

“We’ll be there to ‘Light up the Blues’ with Stephen, [his wife] Kristen, and the family,” Young told Rolling Stone in a statement, “doing our first show in four years with old friends for our autistic people around the world.”

“We are so thrilled to be able to come back and support Autism Speaks,” added Kristen Stills. “The one thing that did not change during the pandemic was the rising rates of autism prevalence in the U.S. They require more funding than ever for the research they do. Stephen and I join them in their mission to create a more inclusive world for people with autism.”

This year’s Light Up the Blues marks the sixth annual benefit since the Stills family organized the inaugural event in 2013. Past featured artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Mayer, Patti Smith, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, Beck, and Burt Bacharach.

Young is also slated to appear at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday bash alongside Snoop Dogg, the Lumineers, Beck, the Grateful Dead’s Bobby Weir, The Chicks, Lyle Lovett, Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Margo Price, Leon Bridges, and Norah Jones.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend my 90th birthday than being surrounded by family, friends and of course the fans who made this all possible,” Nelson shared in a statement. “It’s an honor to perform with such an incredible group of artists.”

Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns