A product of Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood and Greenwich Village's folk scene, Richie Havens gave a three-hour performance at the original Woodstock festival in 1969. The highlight of his epic set was the improvised song, "Freedom." The next 40 years of his career would include acclaimed albums, acting stints, environmental activism and a performance at an inaugural ball for President Bill Clinton.

Havens, who died April 22 at the age of 72, visited Soundcheck in 2010 to share songs from his album, Nobody Left to Crown.