Notes
I wrote this for the caretaker of my ranch after I purchased it in 1970. Special thanks to James Taylor for his banjo playing. Neil Young Decade liner notes 1977
This is a new song that I wrote about my ranch. I live on a ranch now. Lucky me ... there's this old man who lives on it, that uh...he came with the place when I bought it. Ranches have foremen you know usually that sort of like stay there with the cows, no matter who owns it. He's about seventy years old or something like that. Neil Young Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada January 19, 1971, Early Show
This is a new song I wrote about my ranch. I live on a ranch in California. I just bought it a while ago from these two lawyers. There was an old man living on it. I don't know if you have things like that here - like foremen on ranches? It's like a old caretaker that takes care of all of the cows and fences and everything. So I wrote this song for him. Neil Young BBC TV Studios, London, England February 23, 1971
This is a new song I wrote about my ranch. I live on a ranch in California. I just bought it a while ago from this two lawyers. There was an old man living on it. I don't know if you have things like that here - like foremen on ranches? It's like a old caretaker that takes care of all of the cows and fences and everything. So I wrote this song for him. Neil Young Royal Festival Hall, London, England February 27, 1971
This is a song I wrote about a place I live - in Northern California. I have a ranch that I live on. I've only been there for a couple of months. And when I moved on there - when I bought the place - the first time I went there there was this old guy about seventy years old. I went there with a real estate lady and she showed me the place. She took me out in this blue jeep. Drove me around. Took me through the woods and everything. Showed me all the cattle. He was just sort of like - I don't how to explain - that he was so much like the land that he was almost a tree or something. He had the spirit. So I wrote a song about him. Neil Young Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA January 21, 1971, Late Show
Old Man (version 1 of 32)
Session Date:February 6, 1971
Studio:Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN
Produced by:Elliot Mazer & Neil Young
Recording type:Studio
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:24
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar James McMahon: piano Tim Drummond: bass Kenny Buttrey: drums Linda Ronstadt: vocals James Taylor: banjo-guitar, vocals
Available on:
Harvest Neil Young Released: 1972-02-15

Side 2 Track 1

Harvest - Little LP Neil Young Released: 1972-05-15

Side 1 Track 1

Decade Neil Young Released: 1977-10-28

Side 4 Track 3

Decade - German LP Neil Young Released: 1977-10-28

Side 4 Track 19

Greatest Hits (Australian LP) Neil Young Released: 1985-02-15

Side 1 Track 2

Harvest - DVD-A Neil Young Released: 2002-10-15

Stereo Track 6

Greatest Hits Neil Young Released: 2004-11-16

Track 10

Neil Young Archives Vol. I 1963-1972 Neil Young Released: 2009-06-02

Disc 08 - North Country (1971-1972) Track 4

Harvest 50th Anniversary Edition Neil Young Released: 2022-12-02

Disc 1 Track 6

Old Man (version 2 of 32)
Session Date:February 6, 1971
Studio:Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN
Produced by:Elliot Mazer & Neil Young
Recording type:Studio
Mono/Stereo:Mono
Length:3:17
Notes:shorter edit; mono
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar James McMahon: piano Tim Drummond: bass Kenny Buttrey: drums Linda Ronstadt: vocals James Taylor: banjo-guitar, vocals
Available on:
Old Man/The Needle And The Damage Done Neil Young Released: 1972-03-27

Side A

Heart Of Gold/Old Man Neil Young Released: 1972-10-01

Side B

Old Man (version 3 of 32)
Session Date:October 19, 1982
Studio:Deutschlandhalle, West Berlin, West Germany
Produced by:
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar,, vocals Nils Lofgren: guitar, accordion, keyboards, vocals Joe Lala: percussion Bruce Palmer: bass Larry Cragg: banjo Ralph Molina: drums, vocals
Available on:
Neil Young in Berlin Neil Young Released: 1983-09-03

Track 4

Old Man (version 4 of 32)
Session Date:September 18, 1983
Studio:Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Produced by:Jeanne Field / L.A. Johnson / Elliot Rabinowitz / Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:30
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar Larry Cragg: banjo Larry Byron: backing vocals Anthony Crawford: backing vocals Rick Palombi: backing vocals
Available on:
Solo Trans Neil Young Released: 1984-01-01

Track 2

Old Man (version 6 of 32)
Session Date:February 6, 1971
Studio:Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN
Produced by:Elliot Mazer & Neil Young
Recording type:Studio
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:22
Notes:5:1 mix
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar James McMahon: piano Tim Drummond: bass Kenny Buttrey: drums Linda Ronstadt: vocals James Taylor: banjo-guitar, vocals
Available on:
Harvest - DVD-A Neil Young Released: 2002-10-15

5:1 Mix Track 16

Old Man (version 7 of 32)
Session Date:August 19, 2005
Studio:Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Produced by:Jonathan Demme
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel Spooner Oldham: piano Rick Rosas: bass Chad Cromwell: drums Pegi Young: background vocals Diana Dewitt: background vocals Gary Pigg: background vocals Larry Cragg: banjo
Available on:
Heart Of Gold Neil Young Released: 2006-02-10

Track 13

Old Man (version 8 of 32)
Session Date:January 19, 1971
Studio:Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Produced by:David Briggs & Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:55
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Live At Massey Hall 1971 Neil Young Released: 2007-03-13

Track 3

Neil Young Archives Vol. I 1963-1972 Neil Young Released: 2009-06-02

Disc 07 - Live at Massey Hall (Toronto 1971) Track 3

Old Man (version 9 of 32)
Session Date:January 19, 1971
Studio:Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Produced by:David Briggs & Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:26
Notes:shorter edit
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Old Man Neil Young Released: 2007-03-14

Track 1

Old Man (version 10 of 32)
Session Date:November 30, 1970
Studio:The Cellar Door, Washington, D.C., USA
Produced by:Neil Young & Henry Lewy
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:41
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Live At The Cellar Door Neil Young Released: 2013-12-10

Track 6

Old Man (version 11 of 32)
Session Date:August 29, 1974
Studio:Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Produced by:Graham Nash & Joel Bernstein
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:22
Musicians:Neil Young: lead vocals, acoustic guitar Graham Nash: vocals Tim Drummond: bass Russell Kunkel: drums
Available on:
CSNY 1974 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Released: 2014-07-08

Disc 2 Track 23

Old Man (version 12 of 32)
Session Date:August 20, 1974
Studio:Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, USA
Produced by:Graham Nash & Joel Bernstein
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Notes:video
Musicians:Neil Young: lead vocals, acoustic guitar Graham Nash: vocals Tim Drummond: bass Russell Kunkel: drums
Available on:
CSNY 1974 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Released: 2014-07-08

DVD/BD Track 4

Old Man (version 13 of 32)
Session Date:March 14, 2008
Studio:Hammersmith Apollo, London, England
Produced by:Bernard Shakey / Elliot Rabinowitz
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:mono
Length:
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Neil Young In London Neil Young Released: 2019-09-24

Track 16

Old Man (version 14 of 32)
Session Date:December 1, 2017
Studio:Coronation Hall, Omemee, Ontario, Canada
Produced by:
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:Neil Young
Available on:
NYA Livestream - Home Town - Solo Neil Young Released: 2017-12-01

Track 7

Fireside Sessions - Barnyard Edition Neil Young Released: 2020-05-20

Track 5

Old Man (version 15 of 32)
Session Date:February 5, 1973
Studio:Memorial Coliseum - University Of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
Produced by:Neil Young & Elliot Mazer
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:14
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar Ben Keith: pedal steel guitar Jack Nitzsche: piano Tim Drummond: bass Kenny Buttrey: drums
Available on:
Tuscaloosa Neil Young Released: 2019-06-07

Track 5

Neil Young Archives Vol. II 1972-1976 Neil Young Released: 2020-11-20

Disc 2 - Tuscaloosa (1973) Track 18

Old Man (version 16 of 32)
Session Date:March 31, 1976
Studio:Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
Produced by:David Briggs & Tim Mulligan
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:48
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Neil Young Archives Vol. II 1972-1976 Neil Young Released: 2020-11-20

Disc 10 - Odeon Budokan (March 1976) Track 125

Odeon Budokan Neil Young Released: 2023-09-01

Side 1 Track 4

Old Man (version 17 of 32)
Session Date:July 14, 2019
Studio:Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland
Produced by:Bernard Shakey
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:20
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica Lukas Nelson: banjo, vocals Micah Nelson: slide guitar, vocals Corey McCormick: bass, vocals Anthony Logerfo: drums Tato Melgar: percussion
Available on:
NYA Livestream - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny - POTR Neil Young Released: 2019-07-14

Track 10

Old Man (version 18 of 32)
Session Date:January 22, 1971
Studio:Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, Connecticut, USA
Produced by:Neil Young and John Hanlon
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:08
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Young Shakespeare Neil Young Released: 2021-03-26

Track 2

Old Man (version 19 of 32)
Session Date:January 22, 1971
Studio:Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, Connecticut, USA
Produced by:Neil Young and John Hanlon
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:4:45
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Young Shakespeare - DVD Neil Young Released: 2021-03-26

Track 2

Old Man (version 20 of 32)
Session Date:November 6, 1976
Studio:Balch Fieldhouse, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:mono
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
1976-11-06 - Balch Fieldhouse, Boulder, Colorado, USA Neil Young Released: 2021-03-29

Track 6

Old Man (version 21 of 32)
Session Date:June 6, 1984
Studio:Saddle Rack, San Jose, California, USA
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
1984-06-06 - Saddle Rack, San Jose, California, USA Neil Young Released: 2021-04-06

Track 6

Old Man (version 22 of 32)
Session Date:July 9, 2019
Studio:Sportpaleis, Antwerpen, Belgium
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
2019-07-09 - Sportpaleis, Antwerpen, Belgium Neil Young Released: 2021-03-24

Track 10

Old Man (version 23 of 32)
Session Date:April 22, 2009
Studio:Prospera Place, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
2009-04-22 - Prospera Place, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada Neil Young Released: 2020-11-16

Track 17

Old Man (version 24 of 32)
Session Date:December 4, 1970
Studio:Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York, USA
Produced by:Neil Young & Niko Bolas: "The Volume Dealers"
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:31
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Carnegie Hall 1970 Neil Young Released: 2021-10-01

Track 14

1970-12-04 - Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York, USA Neil Young Released: 2023-08-28

Track 14

Old Man (version 25 of 32)
Session Date:February 17, 1983
Studio:
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
1983-02-17 - Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, USA Neil Young Released: 2022-02-09

Track 7

Old Man (version 26 of 32)
Session Date:March 24, 1976
Studio:Sportpaleis Ahoy', Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:mono
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
1976-03-24 - Sportpaleis Ahoy', Rotterdam, The Netherlands Neil Young Released: 2022-03-03

Track 2

Old Man (version 27 of 32)
Session Date:January 19, 1971
Studio:Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Session 2 Date:January 26, 2019
Studio 2:Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis
Produced by:
Recording type:Studio
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Notes:from Massey Hall which is actually Stratford video with Massey Hall audio w/ footage from 2019-01-26, Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Timeless Orpheum Neil Young Released: 2020-12-22

Track 16

Old Man (version 28 of 32)
Session Date:March 23, 1999
Studio:Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:
1999-03-23 - Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA Neil Young Released: 2021-10-25

Track 14

Old Man (version 29 of 32)
Session Date:January 30, 1971
Studio:Royce Hall - UCLA, Westwood, California, USA
Produced by:Neil Young & Niko Bolas: "The Volume Dealers"
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:50
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Royce Hall Neil Young Released: 2022-05-06

Track 3

1971-01-30 - Royce Hall - UCLA, Westwood, California, USA Neil Young Released: 2022-05-06

Track 3

Old Man (version 30 of 32)
Session Date:February 1, 1971
Studio:Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, USA
Produced by:Tim Mulligan
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:3:30
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
I'm happy that y'all came down Neil Young Released: 2022-05-06

Track 3

Old Man (version 31 of 32)
Session Date:February 23, 1971
Studio:The BBC Television Theatre, London, England
Produced by:Stanley Dorfman
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:mono
Length:
Musicians:Neil Young: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
Harvest 50th Anniversary Edition Neil Young Released: 2022-12-02

Disc 2 - BBC In Concert Track 2

Harvest 50th Anniversary Edition Neil Young Released: 2022-12-02

DVD - BBC In Concert Track 2

Old Man (version 32 of 32)
Session Date:June 25, 1992
Studio:Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey, USA
Produced by:Neil Young
Recording type:Live
Mono/Stereo:stereo
Length:
Musicians:
Available on:

If you have any additions, corrections or comments please feel free to contact me.