We had been reading about these beatniks who hung out or lived in Greenwich Village, and we wanted to find out what a 'beatnik' was, and so a friend and I went right to the source. What we learned, of course, was that beatniks were mostly artists. Richie Havens artistbeatnikfind share on social
I don't get sick. I can't afford to get sick. Richie Havens affordsick Change image and share on social
I remember the first time I was booked into a jazz club. I was scared to death. I'm not a jazz artist. So I got to the club and spotted this big poster saying, 'Richie Havens, folk jazz artist.' Then I'd go to a rock club and I'm billed as a 'folk rock performer' and in the blues clubs I'd be a 'folk blues entertainer.' Richie Havens artistbigbill share on social
I believe we have a double in every country. There's something about that that is probably a commonness that we don't make note of. That maybe there's only a cast for so many faces, and we live everywhere. Richie Havens castcommonnesscountry share on social
I actually grew up with people from all over the world. There wasn't enough of a difference to feel different from anybody else. Their grandmother hollered at me like my grandmother hollered at all the kids when anybody did anything wrong. And their parents did the same thing. Richie Havens differencefeelgrandmother share on social
Woodstock was both a peaceful protest and a global celebration. Richie Havens celebrationglobalpeaceful Change image and share on social
I saw the Village as a place you could escape to, to express yourself. When I first went there, I wrote and performed poetry. Then I drew portraits for a couple of years. It took a while before I thought about picking up a guitar. Richie Havens coupledrawescape share on social
Many times, people have come up to me after singing some songs, and they'd say, 'Richie, do you know what you did?' And I'd say, 'What?' And they'd go, 'I wrote these songs down for you to sing, and you sang them all in a row.' But that's the kind of communication that happens, you know. Richie Havens communicationkindpeople share on social
Music is the major form of communication. It's the commonest vibration, the people's news broadcast, especially for kids. Richie Havens broadcastcommoncommunication Change image and share on social
I opened the Woodstock Festival even though I was supposed to be fifth. I said, 'What am I doing here? No, no, not me, not first!' I had to go on stage because there was no one else to go on first - the concert was already two-and-a-half hours late. Richie Havens concertfestivalhalf share on social