"Suzanne" by Leondard Cohen (Cover)

[LiveMusic]

Holy cow, Glenn. I loved it. Fantastic fingerpicking and you have a wonderful voice!

That Olson sounds great, what model is it? That brand sounds famous, what celeb plays one, is it James Taylor?

Do you have fingernails, I can't tell? I can't grow nails, wish I could. That guitar sounds like it has really good volume!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by pf400

That was great to listen too. Marianne and Suzanne are two that I loved to learn way back. Thanks for posting it for us.

Hi Neil,

Thanks so much for commenting! It's very much appreciated!

We must be of a similar age, because I remember the same songs as really grabbing me way back in my folk days (not that my present days aren't "folk days," as well ). I was exposed to so much new music from so many directions once I went off to college from 1966-1970. I have wonderful memories!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Mighty Fine, Glenn! One of my all-time favorite songs from one of my all-time favorite artists and your rendition is well-done!

Thank you so much, SpruceTop! I'm so glad I was able to do justice to this song for you!

And maybe that's why I have remembered this song for so long -- because it has been one of my favorites. I always felt that I would have liked to have known the real Suzanne, because she seems like she would have been such an interesting person.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

Holy cow, Glenn. I loved it. Fantastic fingerpicking and you have a wonderful voice!

That Olson sounds great, what model is it? That brand sounds famous, what celeb plays one, is it James Taylor?

Do you have fingernails, I can't tell? I can't grow nails, wish I could. That guitar sounds like it has really good volume!

Hi Bill,

How terrific that you enjoyed this, Bill! Thank you so much for the kind words.

Thank you in particular for the comment about my voice. It seems that every one of us worries about what seems an inadequate singing voice. So that is very gratifying to read.

Regarding the Olson, yes, James Taylor helped to make James Olson handmade guitars more famous. He has several and pretty much plays only his Olsons since he first got them back in, I think, 1992.

The model that JT plays is the Small Jumbo or "SJ." His wood combination has typically been western cedar over either Brazilian rosewood or East Indian rosewood. My Olson is also an SJ from 1995, western red cedar over East Indian Rosewood.

My Olson does have fairly good volume and it's fairly responsive, though there are modern designs, like Kevin Ryan Nightingale, for example, that are even more responsive and perhaps louder. For me, I think my Olson is a very good guitar to sing with. It has a fairly mellow voice, not overly bright, with good bass and kind of a velvety sound, maybe even a little bouncy sounding, I think because of the cedar top. Either way, I'm very glad to have it and feel very fortunate. I bought it used from a fellow AGF member probably about 5 years ago.

I use a Fred Kelly Slick Pick, extra heavy, for my thumb and for my fingers I use fairly short fingernails, maybe with 1/16" to 3/32" of white showing. My fingernails are quite stiff and strong and not brittle, but I think partly that's because I still drink milk (age 69). When I travel and don't get milk, I notice that my nails chip much easier.

Again, I feel lucky to have strong, durable fingernails. I know that few at my age have that. But if I didn't have strong nails, then I'd be using my fingertips, like Tommy Emmanuel does. With enough use, the finger tips develop calluses and sound very good, too.

Thanks so much for your comments and for your kind words!

- Glenn

[Jeremy]

This was beautiful, Glenn. Smooth playing, controlled vocals, and the guitar's tone is sublime.

[Rogerblair]

I am not a fan of Leonard Cohen's renditions of his own music, but I sure love his writing. You really brought this one alive, Glenn. Very well done. Do you cover his masterpiece "Hallelujah?" If so, I'd enjoy hearing your rendition.

Roger

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

This was beautiful, Glenn. Smooth playing, controlled vocals, and the guitar's tone is sublime.

Thank you very much Jeremy!

I'm so glad you liked this! I, too, agree that the Olson really sounds just right. "Sublime" is a good word for it.

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Ahhhhh, Glenn so good!! Brings back many memories as this was one of our "signature" songs in the group I played in back in the 60's. (sung solo by our female vocalist with two guitars one six string, one 12 string and bass back up). Like you, many coffee houses later.........I'm so glad this song survives through the generations.
Interesting to see your approach and style with the guitar part! I recall hours by the record player getting some that down by ear and then putting into the muscle memory! Thanks for sharing!
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Rogerblair

I am not a fan of Leonard Cohen's renditions of his own music, but I sure love his writing. You really brought this one alive, Glenn. Very well done. Do you cover his masterpiece "Hallelujah?" If so, I'd enjoy hearing your rendition.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Thanks so much!

Regarding Leonard Cohen, I feel the same way as you do. His music and lyrics have always been so very interesting, but I mostly have been drawn to other people doing his stuff. I'm really glad you thought that "Suzanne" came out okay.

I have never done "Hallelujah," though I have heard plenty of renditions by others. I suppose because of the Internet and YouTube, it seems that "Hallelujah" is overdone these days. But then if there had been a YouTube back in 1968, I imagine that "Suzanne" would have been overdone back then.

Thanks for the suggestion, Roger. I will look into how this song works for me.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Ahhhhh, Glenn so good!! Brings back many memories as this was one of our "signature" songs in the group I played in back in the 60's. (sung solo by our female vocalist with two guitars one six string, one 12 string and bass back up). Like you, many coffee houses later.........I'm so glad this song survives through the generations.
Interesting to see your approach and style with the guitar part! I recall hours by the record player getting some that down by ear and then putting into the muscle memory! Thanks for sharing!
Fred

Hi Fred,

Thanks so very much for your comments. How interesting that you, too, remember this song from your youthful days of making music.

I learned this song the same way you describe -- by ear. I would put on the record, do my best to get the guitar in tune, and then figure out what people were playing. It's so much easier today with CD's and electronic tuners and even easier with YouTube where you can see what people are actually playing -- or at least make an educated guess while you experiment with an approximation of where their fingers are.

Still, in spite of the trials, we learned a lot of stuff off records, so it was doable.

Thanks so much for your comments, Fred!

- Glenn

[Timothy Lawler]

Very nice performance!

Going back, I think that song is so fixed in my mind that it's become part of my DNA.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Timothy Lawler

Very nice performance!

Going back, I think that song is so fixed in my mind that it's become part of my DNA.

Hi Timothy,

Thank you for your comments! Yes, I feel the same way about this song, "Suzanne," part of my DNA. It feels very natural to play this song after all these years.

Thank you for listening and commenting!

- Glenn

[Pitar]

Thanks for that and well done. This is my favorite Cohen song. I'll never let anyone displace Judy Collins' performance of it in my heart but I'll never pass up a listen to anyone who wants to play it either. Thanks again.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Pitar

Thanks for that and well done. This is my favorite Cohen song. I'll never let anyone displace Judy Collins' performance of it in my heart but I'll never pass up a listen to anyone who wants to play it either. Thanks again.

Thanks Pitar -- nice of you to take the time to listen and comment.

- Glenn

[JAMKC]

Glenn, I'm a young pup at 62 but don't think I will be able to match your playing by 69. Really well done and I'll also compliment the voice. Really nice in combo with the playing.