FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Neil Young poses for a portrait in Calabasas, Calif. Young is among several musicians who are objecting to their songs being used at President Donald Trump's campaign rallies. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)

The current state of the world has seen music sales steadily declining. Until quite recently the global pandemic had shut down all concert venues; a scenario that brought live performance to its knees. As a result of this COVID-driven global tragedy, song catalog publishing has emerged as a very valuable asset. Taking their lead from the legendary poet laureate, Bob Dylan, a growing list of aging rockers have been cashing in on the enormous value of their own song publishing portfolios. One veteran artist who recently struck gold by hopping on the song catalog sell-off wagon is Canadian rock super star Neil Young.

This year Young sold 50% of his 1,180-song vault to the British investment company, The Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The London-based Hipgnosis reportedly paid $150 million to the grizzled and enduring rocker for the half stake in his song cache. Over the last year, investment giant Hipgnosis has plunged into the deep end of the acquisition pool by acquiring 100% of the publishing rights to Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham’s songbook as well as many of Debbie Harry’s (aka Blondie) songs, and also the rights to the songs of Dave Stuart of the Eurythmics.

With the recent deaths of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts at age 80, Gerry Marsden of the 60’s British Invasion band Gerry and the Pacemakers at 78, the sobering reality is one that now sees a growing number of time-worn rockers dropping like flies. Bob Dylan turned 80 this past May, and with mega stars like Paul McCartney now 79, Ringo Starr 81, and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards both 78, we may indeed be seeing the sun set on a golden era in music’s history.

Perhaps the sands starting to run down in their respective hourglass’ has become the prime catalyst for the selling spree in the gilded ranks of such legends. Another factor might possibly be President’s Biden’s stated goal to increase taxes on those people earning more than $400,000 a year. While such a potential tax hike would have no effect on most of us from across the vast reaches of the faceless world of the working class, it would definitely take an enormous bite out of those in the rock star community. One has to believe that the armies of high-priced financial advisors that such stars employ may be advising them to make their best deal now, before any new tax proposals are voted into law.

Separate and apart from stratospheric financial deals, across a wide gulf of years Neil Young, often called “The Godfather of Grunge,” has made an enormous and lasting contribution to music. A brilliant songwriter whose social anthems like “Ohio,” “Alabama,” “Southern Man,” and so many others too numerous to list, have left an indelible imprint on people from across multiple generations. He has also compiled a long and admirable track record as a generous philanthropist. Across a storied career that has seen him as a founding member of Buffalo Springfield, a key figure in Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and then fronting his own band, Crazy Horse, he has been a musical visionary and pioneer in exploring a broad range of various musical styles. Straddling different genres, his songs have resonated deeply with a far flung and diverse audience across the globe.

When all is said and done, what may ultimately represent the centerpiece of Neil Young’s success story is found in his many years of selfless work on behalf of those afflicted, as is the case with his own son Ben, with Cerebral Palsy. To this end, he has always been a tireless warrior who has called upon personal friends from across the music community to lend their support. Such luminaries include Jackson Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Graham Nash, Don Henley and many others from that exclusive crowd. Their fundraising events have raised huge sums of money for research, and have also elevated the level of awareness around this disease. Enlisting rock royalty to lend their unpaid support to what is a very personal cause for Neil Young speaks volumes about who the man is behind the rock star mask that he’s worn for decades. As seen through my eyes, Neil Young really does have a “Heart of Gold.”

At 75, he shows not the slightest inclination to hang up his guitar and call it a career. To the contrary, during the pandemic he used the down time to write a slew of new material as well as readying an archive of never before-released material that will include an upcoming Crazy Horse album called “Early Daze,” a live Crazy Horse album recorded in 2013 called “Live Alchemy” and a Buffalo Springfield boxed set.

I, for one, am very happy that this legendary Canadian troubadour is still working. What is crystal clear is that at the age of 75, his creative engine is running strong and is still firing on all cylinders. “Long May You Run” Mr. Young.

Paul Collins is a freelance writer from Southborough, Massachusetts.

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