MJ Lenderman Covers Neil Young, Writes Crews Foreword
The Asheville singer-songwriter contributed a cover to a Neil Young tribute series and a foreword for a Penguin Classics reissue.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Folk
MJ Lenderman released a cover of Neil Young's "Separate Ways" for the Heart Of Gold: The Songs Of Neil Young, Vol. 3 - Into The Black tribute series. He also wrote a foreword for the Penguin Classics edition of Harry Crews' 1990 novel Body.
Why it matters
The release places an Asheville songwriter's interpretation of a Neil Young track from his 2020 LP Homegrown within a multi-volume tribute collection. The foreword adds a literary contribution to a Crews novel being brought to a new readership.
The Heart Of Gold series now includes Vol. 2 and Vol. 3, with Lenderman's "Separate Ways" appearing on Vol. 3 - Into The Black. Sales or streaming performance for the volumes was not reported.
The players
MJ Lenderman
An Asheville, North Carolina singer-songwriter who has built a following through his guitar-driven folk and rock recordings.
Neil Young
A Canadian-American singer-songwriter whose catalog spans folk, rock, and country and whose 2020 LP Homegrown is the source of "Separate Ways."
Harry Crews
An American novelist and memoirist from Georgia known for gritty Southern fiction, including his 1990 novel Body.
The details
Lenderman's rendition of "Separate Ways" was released alongside the original recording and appears on Heart Of Gold Vol. 3. The Paris Review published his foreword to Body online, and he has performed "Separate Ways," "Lotta Love," and "Powderfinger" live.
Timeline
Lenderman debuted new songs at Good Moon Festival in October 2026.
Heart Of Gold Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 and the Lenderman foreword were released on November 6, 2026.
The Penguin Classics edition of Body is due next week.
Legacy Catalog
Neil Young's Homegrown was held back for decades before its 2020 release, and its songs continue to be reinterpreted by younger artists in tribute projects like the Heart Of Gold series. Lenderman's cover places the record among new generations of contemporary folk and rock performers.
The Heart Of Gold Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 tribute volumes are available for listeners to hear Lenderman's cover alongside other artists' interpretations. The Penguin Classics edition of Body will give readers a new edition with Lenderman's foreword.
The takeaway
Tribute albums and reissued books can introduce older works to new audiences through the work of contemporary artists. Readers interested in either the Neil Young material or the Crews novel can seek out the original recordings and text alongside these new contributions.
What happens next
The Penguin Classics edition of Harry Crews' Body is scheduled to arrive next week.
Further reading
Explore more in Folk coverage for context on the genre's current releases and tribute projects.
