Garth Hudson made a rare public appearance on Sunday night [April 16], performing in upstate New York.
Hudson took part in Flower Hill House Concert No. 6, an event hosted by the musician Sarah Perrotta. In the clip below, you can see Hudson playing Duke Ellington‘s “Sophisticated Lady”.
Garth Hudson played a surprise set last night at a house concert in Kingston, NY, hosted by the musician Sarah Perrotta. It was his first public performance in many years, and Perrotta has kindly shared the video. Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/f9xwau8qVS
— HarryHew (@harryhew) April 17, 2023
You can see more photos from the event on the Instagram accounts of Sarah Perrotta and Jerry Marotta.
Although Hudson is physically frail – he has reportedly been living in an assisted care facility since the death of his wife, Maud, in 2022 – his piano skills are still intact. The clip, while undoubtedly deeply moving, is also a joyous celebration of his great gifts as a musician.
This was Hudson’s first public performance in six years, when he participated in a handful of shows to mark the 50th anniversary of The Last Waltz in 2017.