Watch Jim James and Janet Weiss Perform “Rainbow Connection” with Kermit the Frog at Newport Folk Festival
Images via Mike Lawrie/Getty, YouTube
Kermit the Frog played a surprise set at Newport Folk Festival on Sunday. The beloved little, green puppet sang “Rainbow Connection” from the 1979 film The Muppet Movie while playing the banjo.
Kermit was backed by a full band including Janet Weiss, the former drummer of Sleater-Kinney who recently announced her departure from the band.
Midway through the performance, Kermit said to the audience, “Please welcome my friend Jim James.” The crowd cheered as the My Morning Jacket frontman stepped onstage to sing the rest of “Rainbow Connection” as a duet with Kermit.
Hi-ho, #NewportFolkFest! Thanks for showing this frog some love and singing along with the sweet sound of “Rainbow Connection.” Someday we’ll find it. pic.twitter.com/LIK6KpqrPS
— Kermit the Frog (@KermitTheFrog) July 29, 2019
I did not wake up today expecting to get a picture of @jazzzhand with Kermit the Frog, but I guess that’s @Newportfolkfest! pic.twitter.com/LWWlO32OEO
music The Man Set Ablaze For Wish You Were Here Artwork Has Passed Away By Matt Mitchell August 18, 2025 | 3:01pm ![]()
music Gallery: Outside Lands 2025 By Paste Staff August 18, 2025 | 1:30pm ![]()
movies Growl in Alarm at the First Trailer for Acclaimed Dog Horror Movie Good Boy By Jim Vorel August 18, 2025 | 1:00pm ![]()
music Joyce Manor Share First New Song in 3 Years By Camryn Teder August 18, 2025 | 12:00pm ![]()
tv Streaming Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was Marvel’s Wildest Cul-de-Sac By Kenneth Lowe August 18, 2025 | 11:00am ![]()
movies 25 Years Ago, The Cell Brought Visual Splendor to the New Line Cinema August Movie By Jesse Hassenger August 18, 2025 | 10:16am ![]()
music In Their Second Act, Oasis Returns as Everything They Once Promised to Be By Lacy Baugher Milas August 18, 2025 | 10:00am ![]()
music Willoughby Tucker, I Will Always Love You Is a Calm, Unprovocative Addition to Ethel Cain’s Lore By Peyton Toups August 18, 2025 | 9:30am ![]()
music Joey Valence & Brae Just Want You to Dance By Matt Mitchell August 18, 2025 | 9:00am ![]()
movies The 20 Best Movies on MUBI By Paste Staff August 18, 2025 | 4:00am ![]()
movies The 20 Best Movies on Starz By Paste Staff August 18, 2025 | 4:00am ![]()
music Your Favorite Artists’ Worst Albums By Cassidy Sollazzo August 17, 2025 | 9:30am ![]()
music Dijon Is R&B’s Past, Present, and Future on Baby By Matt Mitchell August 17, 2025 | 9:00am ![]()
movies Reinventing the Formula of the Failed Marriage Movie By Ana Carpenter August 16, 2025 | 11:10am ![]()
movies The 35 Best Movies on Hoopla (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 16, 2025 | 7:30am ![]()
movies The 100 Best Movies on The Criterion Channel (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 16, 2025 | 5:30am ![]()
tv The Rainmaker Is a Bland, Derivative Adaptation That Forgets to Have Any Fun By Rory Doherty August 15, 2025 | 8:13pm ![]()
music Listen to Ronboy's New Single Featuring Matt Berninger By Matt Mitchell August 15, 2025 | 3:00pm ![]()
movies Vanessa Kirby Breaks Bad in Muddled Netflix Thriller Night Always Comes By Jim Vorel August 15, 2025 | 2:13pm ![]()
music Best New Albums: This Week's Records to Stream By Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 2:00pm ![]()
tv Peacemaker Returns for Season 2 With a Trippy, NSFW Ride into James Gunn’s New DC Universe By Trent Moore August 15, 2025 | 12:00pm ![]()
tv Alicia Silverstone Breaks Down the Emotional Mysteries of Her New Acorn TV Series Irish Blood By Lacy Baugher Milas August 15, 2025 | 11:45am ![]()
music Now Hold That Pose For Me: FKA twigs’ M3LL155X at 10 By Elise Soutar August 15, 2025 | 10:00am ![]()
music Cass McCombs Toys With the Myths of Home on Interior Live Oak By Cassidy Sollazzo August 15, 2025 | 9:30am ![]()
music COVER STORY | Blondie Refuse to Vanish By Matt Mitchell August 15, 2025 | 9:00am ![]()
movies The 25 Best Movies On Demand Right Now (August 2025) By Josh Jackson and Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 7:00am ![]()
movies The 50 Best Movies on Netflix (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 6:55am ![]()
movies The 50 Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 5:55am ![]()
movies The 50 Best Movies on Hulu Right Now (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 5:50am ![]()
movies The 50 Best Movies on HBO Max (August 2025) By Paste Staff August 15, 2025 | 5:45am ![]()
movies The 35 Best Movies about Witches By Paste Staff August 14, 2025 | 3:22pm ![]()
music Best New Songs (August 14, 2025) By Paste Staff August 14, 2025 | 2:00pm ![]()
music Watch Eleri Ward's Three-Song Paste Session By Matt Irving August 14, 2025 | 1:16pm ![]()
music Cuco and MRCY Follow the Winding Road of Soul By Cassidy Sollazzo August 14, 2025 | 12:30pm ![]()
movies Dev Patel Faces a Fae Menace in First Trailer for Welsh Folk Horror Rabbit Trap By Jim Vorel August 14, 2025 | 12:00pm ![]()
movies Bob Odenkirk's Deadly Dad Remains a Delight in Nobody 2 By Jason Gorber August 14, 2025 | 11:14am ![]()
movies Sydney Sweeney and an Eclectic Cast Leads the Entertaining Western-Noir Hybrid Americana By Jesse Hassenger August 14, 2025 | 9:45am ![]()
music Ada Lea’s when i paint my masterpiece Is a Ramshackle Opus By Eric Bennett August 14, 2025 | 9:30am ![]()
music Pool Kids Are Never Gonna Change By Grant Sharples August 14, 2025 | 9:00am ![]()
music Gallery: Portraits at Project Pabst By Paste Staff August 14, 2025 | 7:00am ![]()