Pegi Young (Photo via her Facebook page
There was an outpouring of love following the January 2 news that Pegi Young, the activist and singer-songwriter, had died a day earlier, on January 1. Young was best known to music fans for two things: first, she was the co-founder of The Bridge School, a non-profit organization headquartered in northern California that benefited individuals with severe speech and physical impairments.
The first Bridge School Concert, in 1986, an all-star benefit organized by Pegi Young, raised enough funds to open the school in 1987 in Hillsborough, Calif. And that leads us to #2: Young’s ex-husband was none other than Neil Young. The couple, however, split after 36 years. And while Neil Young remarried in 2018, to actress Daryl Hannah, he hadn’t made a public statement about the passing of his ex until Saturday, January 5.
In a statement on his website, Neil Young Archives, the musician paid a touching tribute to Pegi Young. The post, headlined “Such a Woman,” featured the lyrics of that song from his 1992 album, Harvest Moon. It’s first verse: “You are such a woman to me, And I love you, Our love will live, Until the end of all time.”
Young then closed the brief post by writing, “Thanks Pegi, for being such a wonderful mother to our children. You live on inside of them and the many you have touched. 01-05-19.”
Pegi Young’s legacy is the Bridge School, for which she served as Executive Director for seven years. She served as President of its Board of Directors since its inception.
The annual Bridge School Benefit attracted classic rock legends each year. (The inaugural concert featured such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Don Henley, as well as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.) Through the years, such legends as Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, David Bowie, Tom Petty, Elton John, The Who, Willie Nelson, Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Simon & Garfunkel, Steve Miller, a reunited Buffalo Springfield, and scores of others, helped the cause. The long list also included singers Tony Bennett and Tom Jones.
Watch Neil Young perform his Buffalo Springfield song, “I Am a Child,” at the 2014 Bridge School Benefit
26 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationJeez..can you be more of a hypocrite, Neil? Dumps the wife. Bails out on the Bridge shows.
I agree. No class. All about Neil.
Can you be any more judgmental? How about maybe their relationship was on the rocks?
Fully agree w/ MLP and NEDHEAD, he could have at least stayed w/ the Bridge shows, for Ben.
Seriously lame response
Never though he would sell out. Darryl Hanna ewwwww. You dumped Peg for that. I no longer respect Neil.
Feel the same way
Neil made a perfectly fine comment about Pegi! No one knows what happened between them and through the years, he has never ‘sold out’!
Right on! People judge celebrities like they’re family members (whom they also should not judge!).
I find it depressing that 36 years can be reduced to a few generic statements.
NY is a great msuician, and as a student, my muse, but he could have waited for a proper divorce before dating What’sHerName
It would have been better if he had told that to Pegi while she was still alive to hear it
What did you know about this matter?
I think if that was all he was going to say about this wonderful woman he “dumped” (her word) after 36 years of marriage, that it would have been better that he just kept his mouth shut.
Broken Arrow Ranch should be renamed Broken Heart
All of this is kinda changing the way I feel about Neil. He could have said more than just thanks for being a great mother… After their long marriage and all? For Pete’s sake, Neil!
This is a lousy “tribute.” It was all about Neil Young and her involvement with him.
MAN, she was an accomplished musician in her own right! Anyone who’s listened to her albums would know that.
WOW Neil, your such a looser… I love your music, but I’m done…
I believe the stress of a broken heart contributed directly to this and I am very sad.
I am really disliking Neil right about now. Perhaps it’s the dementia, I mean that could be the ONLY reason for this behavior.
I don’t know what went on with Neil and Pegi for 36 years and I don’t want to know. Its really not anyone’s business but theirs. He’s a great musician and I love his songs and I’ll always remember him for that. I won’t judge him for his personal life. He’ll have to come to terms with his loss in his own way. Yes, he’s definitely going through the giving process right now. I’d cut him a little slack if I were y’all.
Did I read that Neil sang Harvest Moon to Hannah when he married her? Thought that song was originally for Pegi! I have lost respect for Neil.
I loved Pegi Young.And I love Neil Young s music.I was married to musician and I too learned talent has nothing to do with character. Rita Young
Right on Rita!!!
I too was pissed off when I heard about how NY crushed Pegi. It was really sick. One minute he’s telling the audience how much he loves her then boom…he files divorce. She was taken by surprise and totally crushed. I love Neils music a lot, but his character is a different matter…
It’s so easy to criticize someone else at a distance. Anyone that’s been in a relationship should understand that you don’t know what their marriage ended up being like. You may have thoughts or opinions, but what do you really know? I’m not defending Neil, I’m defending privacy. Everyone has an opinion, and, opinions are like…. Yeah, fill in the blank…….
I wonder how many making the negative comments have been married 36years or no people married that long – marriage is fucking hard and it never gets easy and you have to keep not being complacent – look to yourself before judging someone you don’t even fucking know!