Steve Goodman Appreciation Thread (John Prine's Best Friend)

[Tele1111]

Originally Posted by Cabarone

Has anybody gotten his bio yet? It's in its 4th printing and I've read nothing but raves about it. Very well researched, many interviews and each edition is updated...

I read the 2nd, perhaps 3rd printing. I'm not absolutely sure. It was a long read. I met Steve and John several times.

The book is good in most ways. I didn't know enough about either of them to dispute any of it. Nor did I feel a need to. As an entertainer, Steve had few if any equals. As a man, he was as flawed as any of us.

Mark

[Charmed Life Picks]

As the OP, just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions on this thread. I have spoken to Clay Eals, the author of the bio, numerous times. Some info for everyone: The Goodman family refused to be interviewed or have any involvement with the book. I believe Clay told me one of Steve's three daughters was very friendly and they spoke several times, but that's it. I guess they've closed that chapter in their lives, understandably, and have moved on. I lost my mother when I was nine, and our family could never really talk about her, even twenty or thirty years later. Everyone deals with loss in their own way.

scott memmer

[guitarget]

Saw Steve perform in 1974 at Independence Hall in D.C.

Dragged a fellow Marine along to see the headliner, Leo Kottke.

The show opened with Bryan Bowers - fantastic - and then Steve, who was also amazing.

In my humble opinion, the best version of "City Of New Orleans" was done by John Prine & Steve Goodman. I mean, turn it up.....

[eshrager]

I was lucky enough to see Steve play a number of times starting in the early 70's at a number of small venues including the Main Point outside of Philadelphia and college settings. Whether he was backing up John Prine or playing was solo, he was always a special treat combining great guitar playing, songwriting and showmanship - truly a triple threat.

But perhaps the most memorable shows were when he was playing with Jethro Burns (of Homer and Jethro fame). In the mandolin world, Jethro was very close to the top in terms of playing ability. He was able to bring out the best in Steve's playing and the two of them put on unbelievable shows both in terms of technical playing as well as entertainment. If you can find it, there is an online version of the two of them playing 'The Lady is a Tramp'. Well worth listening to.

[815C]

As a teenager I went to a Leon Redbone concert in Dallas at the Paladium in the 1970's. This was before Leon's appearance on Saturday Night Live and he was still relatively unknown. Only about 20 people came to the show.

Steve Goodman was opening the show for Leon.

I knew how to sneak backstage at the Paladium and I was back there before the show started. Steve Goodman walked past me talking to another guy. He passionately/angrily said, "For this crowd I'm only playing 2 songs! That's it! Just 2 songs!"

However, when Steve came out on stage he was great - and he played to us 20 folks for over an hour. I'll never forget it.

Also, after the show was over I was talking with Jonathan Dorn, who was Leon's tuba player, and he offered to introduce me to Leon if I liked. So we went backstage to Leon's dressing room, and there sat Leon, Steve Goodman, and an old gentleman. Jonathan introduced me and I shook everybody's hand while introducing myself. The old guy said, "Howdy David, I'm Jethro." Then it clicked. "Are you Jethro Burns?" I asked. He answered, "Well, everybody is somebody, and that's who I am."

I got to hang out there - just the 5 of us - for about 20 minutes talking to those guys. Pretty cool experience for a teenager.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Very cool story.

For those of you who have never had the absolute pleasure of seeing Jethro and Steve together, here's yet another clip of the two of them doing Michael Smith's famous song "The Dutchman." It does my heart good to heart from other Goodman fans.

[tj_mangum]

Steve Goodman was an amazing entertainer, musicIan and showman. I was privileged to see him many times in Chicago, Nashville and Denver. At the bar he co-owned, "Somebody Else's Troubles" he served me a beer just a few seconds prior to performing on the opening Friday night.
Thanks for keeping his memory alive.
Terry

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by tj_mangum

Steve Goodman was an amazing entertainer, musicIan and showman. I was privileged to see him many times in Chicago, Nashville and Denver. At the bar he co-owned, "Somebody Else's Troubles" he served me a beer just a few seconds prior to performing on the opening Friday night.
Thanks for keeping his memory alive.
Terry

TJ, yep. I'd go so far to say that Steve was a force of nature onstage. I've just never seen such a whirlwind in my life.

But I think you hit on something really important, something that separated Steve from virtually everyone else of his generation, including Prine. He was a showman, an entertainer. In this, there was no one who was his equal.

Thanks for your remembrances.

Scott

[nycbeijinger]

Steve's "Penny Evans" was one of the better anti-war songs of the times.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Folks, if any of you are Prine fans, go take a listen to JP's studio version of "Please Don't Bury Me," at the second instrumental break. No one played with as much verve, humor or dash as Steve.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Just a bump for any new Goodmaners to come in here. I miss him every day.

sm

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by nycbeijinger

Steve's "Penny Evans" was one of the better anti-war songs of the times.

Thank you, I had forgotten ''Penny Evans''. I sang it for my folk music class way back when. I was lucky to see Steve a few times including one time singing ''City of New Orleans'' with Arlo Guthrie at a bennefit out in western Mass. Steve got a lot of plays on WCAS in Cambridge Mass. I heard John Prine one time on CAS talking about himself and Steve and Jimmy Buffett. Seams that it was all three of them who were tight. Buffet went on to be a superstar. JP is a living legend. Who knows where Steve could have gone.

In Boston, my girlfriends car was always getting towed. I'd play ''Lincoln Park Pirates'' for her. She didn't always think it was so funny.

(isn't Penny Evans written to a traditional tune? Do you remember what it is?

[lowrider]

''The Ballad of Penny Evans'' is a powerful song. It cuts deep into my soul with the feeling of loss. It haunted me all night and little by little I found that, even though I had totally forgotten about the song, I could remember every verse.

Found out this morning, its' written to the tune of the traditional song ''The Flying Cloud''.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Low, I didn't realize that Steve had borrowed the melody for a traditional. Anyway, as you say, a powerful song.

scott memmer

[Skarsaune]

Here's a Monday bump.

I missed him, too young to be paying attention I guess, while he was alive.

There's a full concert of his from '76 at the capitol theatre on you tube I just found on Friday. What a player.