I first met Judy Greenberg in her role as moderator of the Members section of the Neil
Young Archives (NYA) in July of 2021. Judy had asked the question “Can a song
change the world?” I wrote a response titled “Neil Young Sang Songs That Changed My
World”. While helping me edit my response we learned that we lived only a 25 minute
drive apart, and we continued our communication after my article was completed,
sharing our love of Neil’s music.
On these early phone calls I learned of the depth of Judy’s musical passions when she
shared that she was a huge Beatles fan as a child and still had a bedroom full of
Beatles collectibles. As an adult, Folk Music became her focus, attending many
concerts at the Old Town School of Music in Chicago and small clubs in and around
Chicago. It became apparent that Judy was never casual in her likes; when she was
into something, she was all in. Once I mentioned my appreciation of Bob Dylan. I
sensed a change in Judy’s voice, “I don’t like the way he treats Neil.” I don’t remember if
there was a specific incident or just a perceived pattern, but Judy was not happy with
Bob. “Judy, from what I’ve heard they are big fans of each other! For God’s sake Judy,
Bob Dylan visited Neil’s boyhood home in Winnipeg in 2008. He wanted to see the
bedroom where Neil listened to music.” Judy was steadfast. “He needs to be more
deferential to Neil”, came her cool response. That evening I made a mental note: Do not
get between Judy Greenberg and Neil Young.
We first ventured out together to see the documentary “Barn” in December 2021 at the
Century Cinema in Chicago. Judy was not used to being the passenger, grabbing the
dashboard and screaming “Slow Down.” I slowed down, but Judy was still nervous,
admitting she was uncomfortable being the passenger. “Do you want to drive?” I
offered, figuring that would help her relax. When she declined, I offered what comfort I
could, “Judy, I’ve been driving for almost 50 years. I am responsible for one accident in
all that time. Trust me, we’re going to get there and back home safely.” and suggesting
“It’s OK to close your eyes.” I did not know then the many miles Judy and I were going
to travel together. I was surprised and pleased several years later when I heard Judy tell
another passenger “Bob’s an excellent driver”.
We were the first ones at the theater, arriving almost an hour before the start. It had
been a long time since we had experienced Neil outside of NYA, COVID had ended live
performances. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was outstanding on so many
levels: a peek into the creative process, the behind the scenes camaraderie, great
music, and amazing cinematography.
On the drive home, I mentioned seeing Neil at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on the
Solo Tour, June 30, 2018. Judy replied, “That’s where I saw Crosby, Stills, Nash, &
Young [CSNY] for the first time, for both me and them.” I knew the history of that show:
CSNY played their first concert on August 16, 1969 at the Auditorium and then traveled
to Woodstock Music Festival where they were booked to play the next day. David
Crosby famously stated, “This is our second gig” followed by Stephen Stills, “This is the
second time we’ve ever played in front of people, man. We’re scared shitless.” “No way
Judy,” I replied, “You’re only a year older than me. I had just graduated eighth grade!”
Judy continued, “I was 16 and my girlfriend and I bought tickets. I told my mom that I
was spending the night at a friend’s house, and she told her mother the same.” “Yes, but
weren’t you scared traveling downtown by yourselves? How did you get down there?”, I
asked. Judy explained, “You don’t know this, but my dad was a professor at Roosevelt
University, which owns the building and the theater. When I was young I used to go to
dad’s lab and look at all the fish tanks. When I got bored sometimes he would let me go
play in the theater. I was very familiar with the building and getting back and forth.” I
have to admit that I was jealous of Judy being at the first CSNY concert.
Judy shared more about her father, Bernard “Bernie” Greenberg, who was the
Chairman of the Biology Department at Roosevelt University, Chicago. He died in 1965
at the age of 52 when Judy was only 12. He was a pioneer in the study of animal
behavior, and his focus was the behavior of the Jewel Fish. Judy believed that if her
father had lived, he would have shared the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
with Conrad Lorenz, Nico Tinbergen, and Karl von Frisch as one of the founders of
Ethology, the study of animal behavior. Judy cited research papers and
correspondences her dad had with these scientists, and what could have been
perceived as a proud boast by a loving daughter, became more of a likelihood to me.
I asked Judy how she became the moderator of the Members section of the Neil Young
Archives. She explained, “Neil and Phil Baker were on a promotional tour for the book
To Feel The Music. There was a book signing at the City Lit Books bookstore in Chicago
on September 22, 2019. I arrived about 10 am, the time the bookstore opened. I was
the first in line. The signing wasn’t until 4 pm.” “So what did you do for six hours?” I
asked. “Mostly waited in line. I was so nervous meeting Phil and Neil. I told Neil that
when the album “Songs For Judy” first came out, I believed it was for me. I mean, I
realized it couldn’t have been, but for a minute I believed it was.” I don’t know how the
offer to moderate the Members section of NYA came about, but I thought Judy using a
walker and standing for six hours to be first in line had something to do with it. Judy had
a different take: “ Neil’s manager Elliott Roberts’s sister’s name is Judy Greenberg, I
think that’s why they noticed me.”
The first concerts Judy and I attended together were the Roxy shows on the Sunset
Strip in West Hollywood, CA on September 21st and 22nd, 2023. I was sitting in my
electrophysiologist’s office for a 9:30 am appointment when Judy called at 9:25. “Hi, I
don’t know if you know but Neil and Crazy Horse are playing at the Roxy Theater. It’s a
small venue, about 500. Do you want to go if I can get tickets?” “Yes” came my excited
response. Judy continued, “There’s just one thing, the tickets are a little expensive. It’s a
fundraiser for The Painted Turtle and The Bridge School.” “How expensive?” I asked. “A
thousand dollars.” “Oh no Judy, I can’t swing that.” “Are you sure?”Judy sounded
disappointed. “Yes, I hate to say no but that’s a lot of money.” “OK, got to go. The tickets
are going on sale soon.” I looked at my watch and it was 9:30. The idea of seeing Crazy
Horse in a small venue was so enticing, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. By 9:35 my
palms were sweating and I called Judy back. ”I’m in!” “Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m in.” “OK,
I’ll call you after the sale.” and she hung up. About two minutes later my doctor walked
in. “ “You just cost me a thousand dollars.” I joked with him. “How’d I do that?” he asked,
and I explained the situation. “I didn’t cost you a thousand dollars, I gave you the
opportunity to go see Neil fucking Young.” As it turned out, my doctor is also a big Neil
Young fan.
To say The Roxy shows were amazing is an understatement. Four of the original five
musicians that opened the Roxy 50 years before, to the day, played those two shows:
Neil, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Nils Lofgreen. It seemed like fate that they were
together. The only reason Nils was free to play was that Bruce Springsteen had to
cancel shows because of a medical issue. Mica Nelson filled in magnificently for
virtuoso multi- instrumentalist Ben Keith who had passed away in 2010.
Judy and I started hanging out at the Rainbow restaurant right next to the Roxy. On the
side of the Roxy there was a large mural showing many of the musicians that have
played there over the last 50 years. As we sat at an outside table facing the mural,
many of Judy’s friends joined us. She had met them through NYA and the FaceBook
group Neil Young with Crazy Horse, which she administered and grew from 20,000 to
40,000 members. It was a joy to meet and hang out with Judy’s friends who were as
passionate about Neil’s music as we were. The night after the second show, the
gentleman sitting across from me asked what I thought of the concerts. As I started to
speak, I couldn’t get a word out. I started three times but just stammered. I’m not usually
at a loss for words, and my inability to voice an opinion surprised me. I put my head
down and thought for a moment. When I raised my head, a single word came out,
“Transcendent.” At 4:20 am that morning I received a text from Judy along with a link to
Rolling Stone Magazine’s Andy Greene’s review of the first night’s concert. The headline
read “Neil Young Travels Back to 1973 at Transcendent 50th-Anniversary Concert at the
Roxy”. Judy’s text read “If he would have been at tonight’s show, I would have sworn
that he overheard you and stole your word.”
Our next adventure was the 2024 Love Earth Tour shows. I had planned to buy tickets
to the Chicago show but that was show 17 of the original tour. I was wondering how I
was going to handle knowing Neil and The Horse were out on the road and not being
there. Judy suggested “Why not go to the opening shows at San Diego State University
on April 24th and 25th? I’m going to visit my sister Laura, she lives out there. Why don’t
you join us?” Judy’s enthusiastic prodding got me off the fence and I booked my flight.
We had a great time at both shows. The afternoon before the first show a bunch of
Neil’s fans met at a restaurant. It felt like a gathering of the clan, and I was introduced to
many more of Judy’s friends. It was a delightful time getting to meet so many great
people, including Andy Green from Australia, like the Rolling Stones writer without the
“e”. I didn’t know it at the time but Judy, Andy and I would be attending 10 more shows
together.
The three of us had such a blast at these shows, and with the Chicago show still a long
way off, we decided to attend two additional shows together. We drove to Alpharetta,
GA on May 7th and Franklin, TN on May 9th. This was when we first realized that we
made a great team together. Judy and I were responsible for buying the tickets. I
planned the route and got us to and from the venue doing the bulk of the driving. Judy
used a walker and needed some assistance and Andy was selfless getting Judy to and
from her seat. He was also good at finding restaurants to keep us fed, especially late
night eats after the shows. Judy provided the “star quality” introducing us to her friends
from all across the country. This formula worked well for us, and we all appreciated the
part we played for the team.
We became painfully aware of how tremendously fortunate we were to have seen Neil
four times before the Chicago concert. I drove down early with my cousin Henry and
met some friends at Boat Drinks, a small bar right on Burnham Harbor less than a mile’s
walk to the entrance of the Northerly Island venue. Judy was Ubering down, and we
planned to meet her at the front gate when she arrived. I was sitting there enjoying the
camaraderie, looking out over the gorgeous Chicago lakefront, and imagining what the
full moon would look like rising over Lake Michigan while Neil and Crazy Horse rocked.
Then I heard, “It’s over.” What! “I’m serious, the concert has been canceled.” Once
confirmed, my first thought was contacting Judy. “Judy, the concert is cancelled. Before
we say anything else, tell your Uber driver to turn around and get you home. Call me
back when you’ve done that.” My group of friends were disappointed, but we had
enjoyed our evening and everyone was in a good mood. The big shock came a week
later when the rest of the tour was canceled. I was on a bench on a train platform when
I heard the news. It was rough because my first thought was, “I may have seen my last
Neil Young concert.” I promised myself at that moment “Anywhere Neil performs within a
12 hour drive I’m going.” My fears were unfounded, and we were blessed that many
more opportunities lay ahead.
A few months later, Judy called. “Neil is playing concerts in New York with a new band,
The Chrome Hearts, September 23rd and 24th. Do you want to go?” After checking my
calendar, a dear friend’s daughter was getting married on the 21st. “I’m not going to be
able to drive out.” I dejectedly told Judy. “Then we’ll fly” came her cheerful response. I
normally don’t fly because airfare and car rental expenses add up quickly, but Judy’s
excitement was infectious. “You’re going to see the first two concerts of Neil’s new
band!” After checking air fares and hotel rates, I committed. Once again, the shows
were amazing. We were seeing Neil only four months after thinking we may never see
him again. The band was great, providing strong support for whatever Neil decided to
play. Neil looked like he was having more fun than I’d seen him in a while. The Capitol
Theater in Port Chester, NY was a great old venue and it rocked both nights.
On the way out of the theater, after the second show, we waited for things to clear out a
bit so Judy had room to use her walker. The staff graciously helped Judy up a couple of
steep steps and we were out on the sidewalk. I looked up and saw Neil’s bus and
mentioned it to Judy. “Where?” she asked. “Right there”, and I pointed. “Where?” I didn’t
know at the time Judy was having difficulty with her eyesight. “See those two bright
lights that are blinding you?” I asked. “Yeah.” she responded. “That’s Neil’s bus.”
We walked over to the barrier that was blocking the sidewalk and talked to some other
fans. We took pictures of the Neil logo on one of the trucks and out of my peripheral
vision I saw someone stepping out of the theater and crossing the sidewalk to the bus. I
realized it was Neil. “Hey Judy, you just missed Neil getting on the bus.” “ Why didn’t
you tell me?” “Sorry, I did as soon as I realized it.” Through the tinted glass on the bus I
could see the flannel shirt coming down the steps.”Don’t worry about it Judy, here he
comes again.” I expected Neil to cross the sidewalk and head back into the theater, but
when he hit the sidewalk, he took a left and walked up to us. I tried to say something
and I’m not sure if anything came out. Judy stuck out her hand across the barrier, and
Neil reached out and shook it. He looked at us with a smile and said, “Hi folks, I just
wanted to come down and say hi and thank you for your support.” and with that he
returned to the bus. I turned to talk to other fans but we were pretty much alone. “ I can’t
believe I froze!” I bemoaned. “I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t put my hand out. I didn’t
even get a picture or video of you shaking his hand!” Judy had a serene smile on her
face. “That’s ok, I’m glad you didn’t take out your camera. That was just our private
moment with Neil.” After she said it, I knew she was right. We talked about that event a
few times. My take, “Obviously Judy, Neil knew it was you. I don’t think he comes off the
bus like that randomly.” Judy thought it was more situational: “We were by ourselves
and he had an opportunity to thank his fans without causing a commotion.” Only Neil
knows for sure.
When the 2025 European tour dates came out, Judy called. “Andy is going to try and
catch a show or two in Europe, but he wants to join us for part of the U.S. tour. Are you
up for it?” “Absolutely!”, came my instant response. We met Andy in Charlotte, NC, the
first stop on the U.S. leg of the tour. It was a joy to be back on the road with these two
dear friends. The show was everything we expected and more. We also became more
appreciative of just having the opportunity to see Neil, realizing that we were all getting
older and no day is guaranteed. To see him perform at such a high level with so much
energy was magnificent, and to see him enjoying it so much was a joy.
It was on to Richmond, VA where on the day of the show we visited St.John’s Church
where in 1775 Patrick Henry delivered his famous quote “Give me liberty or give me
death”. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were in attendance. From there
we drove a short distance to Jefferson Davis’ home, known as “The White House of the
Confederacy. This history, both the birth and near destruction of the United States
represented by those two buildings, only a short distance apart, gave Neil’s and the
Chrome Hearts delivery of Southern Man special resonance. From Richmond we were
on to Clarkston, MI, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and two shows at Stillwater Stage, Toronto,
Canada.
We returned to Chicago as Neil and the Chrome Hearts headed to the east coast, and
on August 27th we attended the Chicago show at Northerly Island. We finished our tour
at the Summer Fest grounds in Milwaukee, WI. Judy went on to attend three more
shows on the west coast making it 11 Neil Young shows for her in 2025.
In early December I got a call from Judy. “I’ve got some bad news. I’ve been
hospitalized and the test results aren’t good. I’ve got cancer.” When I first visited her in
the hospital, I was surprised to find her so upbeat and happy. Judy beamed as she told
me that Neil had reached out to her. “Can you believe it, I’m at the low point of my life
with my diagnosis, and Neil lifts me up when I need it most. He’s always done that for
me.” Judy’s face was glowing with excitement. I have never seen her happier. She
confided that she was fatigued after the Milwaukee show, as we all were after two
weeks on the road. “But I felt compelled to push on and go to those three west coast
shows. I think at some level I knew that this was going to be my last opportunity to see
Neil”.
On my last visit, December 15th, Judy was not conscious, but as I sat with her,
wonderful memories of our travels filled my mind. When I left I kissed her on her
forehead and said, “Thanks for letting me come along.” The next day Judy’s daughters,
Jennie and Michelle, informed me that their mom had passed several hours after I left.
I am honored to call Judy a friend. Her enthusiasm was infectious. I would not have
been at six of Neil’s classic concerts if it were not for Judy’s excited prodding. The
friends I’ve made through her, the music I’ve experienced because of her, and the
passion for Neil that I became a part of will never be forgotten. Judy’s presence will be
with me at every Neil Young show I attend in the future. I hope there will be many
