Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?

Subject: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: mousethief
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:25 PM

Okay, somehow I managed to live 49 years without ever hearing about John Hartford. Somebody has some 'splainin to do.

Meanwhile, can anybody suggest a greatest hits album I can use to get a little familiar before I start taking whacks at his 30-album repertoire? Is there a boxed set?

---

John Hartford Songs

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Amergin
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:28 PM

Me Oh My How The time Does Fly is a good one....also live on the mountain stage. RCA Country legends: John Hartford.

Not sure how you have never heard of him....he's been mentioned many many times here...especially with the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: mousethief
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:42 PM

Unfortunately I don't read every single thread.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:48 PM

get Steam-powered Aereoplane

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: pdq
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:50 PM

John Hartford did lots of obscure records in the 1970s, some with fine musicians like fiddlers Benny Martin, Vassar Clements and Jazz bass player Dave Holland. I doubt that any of them will make CD format but I could be wrong.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 02:53 PM

Is this album recorded at the place that Max is now??
"Live at College Station PA"

the best recording of him I have seen/heard is the video of him
on the steam boat--i think the boat is called the Jackson

it was the floating stage -- connected to the Grand Ole Opry

http://www.johnhartford.com/discography.cfm?DiscogType=V

it is great to see and hear him dancing...percussive dancing...
to add the rhythm to a fiddle tune he played.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 03:02 PM

Having seen him in concert, I truly grieve his loss.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 03:14 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN0iOkMNZqQ for a good time

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,oldtimer
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 03:32 PM

Hey listen up here , there have been a big prescription of stimulants missing from your music listening .Do not panic , after all, you must never have asked any knowledgable human & it must reflect on the company that you have been keeping.You are only 49 so you have lots of time to enjoy dearly departed John H & his riverboat & civil war songs.
Nior feichmeid a leitheid aris.Here are two of his most iconic songs      www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHPtqduC7-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_29ZHaYXLBU
Sorry , im to old to do a blue clicky , Saw John once , live at Merlefest , it was a mind chilling & spiritual experience ,that has, since then ,haunted me with profound John Hartford listening & performing erotica .
Enjoy , Oldtimer

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 03:32 PM

glad you crawled out from that rock you've been under!!

see also:http://www.johnhartford.org/
for a wealth of video and audio clips

be sure to listen to Washing Machine (not sure where to find it)
but it has some great sound effects that he makes on it.

also there is a wonderful parody he did of the Lord's Prayer
which he calls the Lowest Pair (and I call the Lard Sprayer)

there is a festival in his memory..http://www.johnhartfordmemfest.com/

maeve--thanks for blickifying my URL's

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: michaelr
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 04:24 PM

Tons of John Hartford on YouTube. "Gentle on my Mind" is one of my all-time favorite songs. Check out the duet with Glen Campbell.

He made a couple of albums with Rodney and Doug Dillard under the name Dillard-Hartford-Dillard that are very good.

Why didn't we tell you? You didn't ask...

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 05:28 PM

more about The Lowest Pair here:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=991&messages=3

washing machine here:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18896&messages=20

each thread contains lots of links on John Hartford

I have fond memories of the bluegrass festival I was working at
and when John had a workshop I had a giant chalk board wheeled
into the room and he proceeded to launch into a discussion
(complete with detailed illustrations) about paddle wheel
steam boats--toot toot!

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Taylor96
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 07:00 PM

I assume you do know that he has passed on to the great beyond

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: mousethief
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 07:07 PM

@Taylor96: Alas, yes.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 07:35 PM

Saw him at Cambridge in the 1970s. Great stuff, "City of New Orleans" AND clog dancing.

Will always remember that afternoon especially as we were in the company of a couple of nice girls who were pretty impressed by John. (Earlier on, they took us to the famous Tickle Arms, run in those days by a couple of somewhat "bona" chaps).

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 07:47 PM

Ooops - TICKELL Arms, as in Kathryn. Still going, still in Whittlesford.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 08:27 PM

I do think there's a need for a comprehensive John Hartford box set. The Rounder Anthology (Me Oh My How the Time Does Fly) is very good, but so is the Country Legends anthology from RCA (his commercial side). Then again, I'm lusting after Natural to Be Gone 1967-1970 and Steam Powered Aereo-Takes. I have the first two, but can I really justify buying the other two?

The Wikipedia entry is worth a look, by the way. Did you know he was born "John Harford" and changed his name at the suggestion of Chet Atkins? I'll bet even Harpgirl didn't know that.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 09:52 PM

The one with California Earthquake, I'll make a blicky when I find the thread...

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 09:57 PM

Wasn't he also ambidextrous and able to draw cartoons/caricatures with one hand while writing with the other? I've seen pictures of some of his sketches. I saw him at the Newport Folk Festival where he was singing, playing banjo, and clogging simultaneously, and making it all look easy and fun to do.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 11:15 PM

We missed Dave van Ronk till about 2 years ago, go figure!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 18 Feb 11 - 11:35 PM

Met JH once at the Agora in Cleveland, OH. He was on a bill w/t Nitty-Gritty Dirt Band. A friend of mine and I had learned every song on Aereo-Plain and would play them at cookouts, etc. I went to shake his hand and started to shake w/no control. He stood there for a few seconds and said quietly, "Relax, I did the same thing when I met Earl Scruggs." We shared a laugh and I was able to calm down.

That album more than any other music changed my life. Desert island, solar power, one cd player and one cd? Aereo-plain...and a mandolin w/200 sets of strings. :-)

Enjoy your self-education, he's an American giant. Belongs on Mt. Rushmore.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 04:02 PM

Was John Hartford part of any of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Will the Circle Be Unbroken? productions? Seems to me he was.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: pdq
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 04:46 PM

Alas, John Hartford was not on any of the "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" projects, 1972, 1990 or 2002 installments.

Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm ( founding member of The Band), Bruce Hornsby, Chris Hillman (Byrds founding member) and Bernie Leadon (Eagles founding member, here playing his banjo) were on vol 2.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: olddude
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 04:56 PM

Glen Campbell goodtime hour if you are old enough to remember that show. John was a regular also

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: olddude
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 04:57 PM

I believe Glens biggest hit "Gentle on my Mind" was written by John also

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 05:40 PM

yep

...

with cupped hands 'round a tin can.....

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 06:34 PM

Lyrics don't come much better than these...



It's knowing that your door is always open and your path is free to walk,
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch.
And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds and the ink stains
That have dried upon some line,
That keeps you in the backroads by the rivers of my mem'ry that keeps you ever
Gentle on my mind.

It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy planted on their columns now that binds me
Or something that somebody said because they thought we fit together walkin'.
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgiving when I walk along
Some railroad track and find
That you're moving on the backroads by the rivers of my memory and for hours
You're just gentle on my mind.

Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and junkyards and the highways
Come between us
And some other woman crying to her mother 'cause she turned and I was gone.
I still run in silence, tears of joy might stain my face and summer sun might
Burn me 'til I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads by the rivers flowing
Gentle on my mind.

I dip my cup of soup back from the gurglin' cracklin' caldron in some train yard
My beard a roughning coal pile and a dirty hat pulled low across my face.
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I pretend I hold you to my breast and find
That you're waving from the backroads by the rivers of my memory ever smilin'
Ever gentle on my mind.



2/2 Moderately bright

| C | C | Dm7 | G7 |

||: C | Cmaj7 | C6 | Cmaj7 | Dm | Dm | Dm | Dm | Dm |

| Dm(#7) | Dm7 | G7 | C | C | C | C | C |

| Cmaj7 | C6 | Cmaj7 | C | Cmaj7 | Dm | Dm | Dm | Dm | Dm |

| Dm7 | Dm6 | Dm7 | Dm Dm7 | G7 |

1. 2. 3. | C | C | C | C :|| 4. | C | C | C | C ||

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: kendall
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 08:23 PM

Where does an old time river man go is one of my favorites.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 08:43 PM

"Why did nobody tell you about John Hartford?"

We must've figured you couldn't take the truth of it. ;-)

Art (lost cookie)

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: chazkratz
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 08:57 PM

Art, I think your cookie must be somewhere near your marbles...heh, heh.

And Art, you have some good John Hartford stories, as I recall (you playin' and singin' on a riverboat he was pilotin'...or some such tales).

Charles

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 09:04 PM

I found the lost cookie.

Joe,
I knew that. John's steamboat pilot license, which was on display in a frame all the years I played music on the Julia Belle Swain, had "Harford" on it.

Art

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 09:27 PM

I can barely listen to him now.....Too young to be gone........I play "Riverman" on YouTube and cry like a baby.........


Spaw

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: chazkratz
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 09:28 PM

Here's the way I worked out the chords (I frail it on the banjo in D--I based my arrangement on what I remembered from trying to play along in G with my brother's piano playing):

GENTLE ON MY MIND, with chords
(John Hartford)

      |D                            |F#m                |D7
It's knowin' that your door is always open
                |D                     |Em       |         
And your path is free to walk
         |Em                         |G+5                      |Em7
That makes me tend to leave my sleepin' bag
                           |A7                               |D       |      
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
                |D                        |F#m                  |D7
And it's knowin' I'm not shackled by forgotten words
          |D
   and bonds
               |                                  |                         |Em      |
Or the ink stains that have dried upon some line
            |                           |G+5                      |Em7
That keeps you on the back roads by the rivers of my
    |A7
   memory
         |Em                      |A7                |D   
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind


It's not clingin' to the rocks and ivy planted on their
   columns now that bind me
Or something that somebody said
   because they thought we fit together walkin'
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or
   forgiving
When I walk along some railroad track and find
That you're movin' on the back roads by the rivers of
   my memory
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind


Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the
   junk yards
And the highways come between us
And some other woman's cryin' to her mother
'cause she turned and I was gone
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my
   face
And the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the back
   roads
By the rivers flowin' gentle on my mind


I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin' cracklin'
Cauldron in some train yard
My beard a rough'nin' coal pile
And a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I pretend
   to hold you to my breast and find
That you're waitin' on the back roads by the rivers of
   my memory
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: chazkratz
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 02:37 AM

Pat, I guess we were posting at about the same time--I haven't been on the Cat much, but this is the first post of yours I've seen since your announcement that you were indeed home from the hospital and on the way to recovery. It's great to have you back, morose as your last post was (yeah, I miss him, too).

Charles

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 02:15 PM

There is an incredible video of Hartford from 1977 on YerTube that shows him singing Gentle on My Mind while accompanying himself on the banjo, and tap-dancing (or clogging or something). A-friggin-mazing.

(Also I can't get "Six O'Clock Train" out of my head. Blurdy haunting.)

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 05:28 PM

This friend of mine and I used to do GOMM and Snowbird back to back. The feel of each song is very similar. Makes one wonder if John's song influenced Gene MacLellen's song.

Btw, mousethief I believe he wrote 'Gentle On My Mind' on the banjo.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:32 PM

Yeah, like your chords better, seed.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 08:13 PM

Mousie.....He used a board to dance on as he fiddled (or played banjo) and danced.....It was a part of the performance that many enjoyed and a distinct part of John Hartford. He liked to dance along as he he sang and played.

He was open and accessible as well. Friends and I had a chance to sit around and BS with him in Chattanooga between performances at the Riverbend fest. Really missed by many......

Spaw

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 09:26 PM

and, oh! that bowler hat!! Bowls me over! every time i see it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moesewco/4501159792/

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 09:56 PM

John Hartford - proof that banjo players are sexier.
And his fiddle with the clog dancing.
SIGH

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: BanjoRay
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 02:26 AM

I LOVE John's fiddle playing on the CDs he made of the late great Ed Haley's tunes. As well as a great bluegrass banjo picker, John's a staggering Old Time fiddler.

Ray

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Amergin
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 04:08 AM

Alex...if I remember correctly Stewart played Old Time River Man at your house many years ago....

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 05:56 PM

That was many years ago! I don't remember much of it (they say the memory is the second thing to go), except "Bully in the Alley" and signing the bodhran, and that Thomas the Rhymer used DADGAD.

Is there a set of chords for "Six O'Clock Train and the Girl Etc"? I have flogged the interwebs and Mudcat both and haven't turned up any.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 06:17 PM

First of all, lets get the name right... To those of us who were fans when he broke into the business it it wasn't John Hartford, it was Johnny Hartford... World of difference to us old timers...

I mean, we loved his music but what really made it for alot of us was when Glen Campbell got his show... Johnny was on there lots and that when we got to see who he was as a performer... I'll tell ya' what... I had never seen anything like it... I mean them feets just a pounding out them percussion on hardwood stage floors while he was playin' whatever happened to have strings on it... I mean, he could play 'um all... It was mezmorizing!!!

Guess it's been, what, 15 years since he died afetr a 20 year fight with melanoma...

Heck of a musican that laid the groundwork for alot of one man bands...

I miss ol' Johnny Hartford... Sho nuff do...

B~

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 06:27 PM

John Hatford used to write a BUNCH of his songs, while working for a real estate company, as a night watchman, in Malibu, California, named Prentiss, (and associates, I think). I met him there doing just that in the early to mid '60's. He had a lot of material, in spiral notebooks, and at the time, was like a lot of hopefuls..but more dedicated and serious than most. He was a cool guy, from what I remember.

GfS

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 06:35 PM

ooops...not Hatford, but Hartford...and Bobert, at the time he was introduced to me as 'John'...but then, he wasn't using a stage name, at the time. My father introduced us, and you might have guessed it, it was at night, while he,(John) was working, sitting on a stool, inside the front door, where the old 'Sea Lion' restaurant used to be. It is no longer there, and the last I knew of, was replaced by yet, another restaurant, named, 'Dukes'.

GfS

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,hg
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 10:41 PM

I did know that, Joe!

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 11:30 PM

Harpy, if I were to say, "You have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull the wool over Harpy's eyes," would that be a mixed metaphor?

Harford, huh? Changed name to Hartford at the suggestion of Chet Atkins, huh? Who woulda thunk it? Well, Atkins didn't keep him on the RCA label very long, did he?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,hg
Date: 23 Feb 11 - 02:45 PM

Why, whatever do you mean, joe?    I didn't know the Chet Atkins part. I'd heard it elsewhere than wiki and hadn't read that until yesterday. Is it all accurate?

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 09:00 AM

LARRY SPARKS, dammit.

~S~

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: open mike
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 11:08 AM

what do you mean, wizzy?
what does Larry Sparks have to do with John Hartford?

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 11:22 AM

Why'd nobody tell me bout Larry Sparks

Why'd nobody tell me bout Dave van Ronk

Etc

~S~

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 02:47 PM

Isn't it great to discover people like that when you thought you'd seen it all?

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: MissouriMud
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 03:45 PM

Listen to John playing and singing his Delta Queen Waltz on youtube - it is wonderful.   

John's backup band - now going under the title The John Hartford Stringband - has recently released a cd of their versions of some of Johns best tunes and songs. The cd was nominated for a Grammy. It really sounds like John is in there with them.   Great musicians in their own right they are joined by some amazing guests on the cd.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 05:24 PM

Get hold of the documentary Down from the Mountain - the concert linked with "Oh Brother, where art thou", with John Hartford hosting it, a year before he died, his last filmed\appearance.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: Guernsey Pete
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 08:47 PM

Hey, it wasn't THAT long ago he went, Bobart.
Not 15 years.
But I certainly remember him at Cambridge Folk Festival in the early '70s'.
Amazing.

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 01 Mar 11 - 07:44 AM

"Get hold of the documentary Down from the Mountain - the concert linked with "Oh Brother, where art thou", with John Hartford hosting it, a year before he died, his last filmed\appearance. "

It's on Sky Arts 1 again at 15.20 today!

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: PHJim
Date: 02 Mar 11 - 02:20 AM

I heard somewhere, but don't recall where or how reliable it was, that John modeled his stage attire during the last part of his career after Paul Newman's bicycle scene (Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head) in Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid. Anyone else ever heard this?

Subject: RE: Why'd nobody tell me bout John Hartford?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 02 Mar 11 - 11:31 PM

Would be more inclined to think he modeled it after Chaplin's 'The Little Tramp'. That being said I'd be interested in having confirmation on that as well. Whenever I'd see a poster or an ad for one of his shows the silhouette of the bowler hat tilted, fiddling and clogging character was used frequently.