Anybody still play ''Willin''?

[lowrider]

Rockabilly, which is you, left or right?

And, are you crazy? You can't put up a post like that without an audio link!

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Rockabilly, which is you, left or right?

And, are you crazy? You can't put up a post like that without an audio link!

I'm on the left with my J45, nobody recorded that show that I know of or I would've posted a clip.

[lowrider]

Any advice for playing it?

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by lowrider

When you say that Lowell George left us too soon, remember that he, like too many, was a heroin addict who died of an overdose.

...still doesn't change the fact that we lost him way too soon.

[Swamp Yankee]

it's one of my favorite songs to play and sing. I played it last year at a campfire with friends, most of them my age or older, and I was shocked when nobody else was familiar with it at all.

[YamaYairi]

I play it. I learned that years ago from a local folk musician, John Bassette. Weed, whites and wine.

[RustyAxe]

Just this week I was going over old setlists on my iPad, and this came up ... I hadn't played it in decades. Still a good tune, and people my age like to hear it done well.

[Bunnyf]

It's on my jam setlist, as is Dixie Chicken, both great LF songs (btw The Weight is on it too). Love the original Willin' by George but Tom Petty did a very nice live cover.you can see on YT

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Two summer's ago I was playing as an opening act for Steve Kimock @ Snowbird Ski Resort's "Summer Cool Air Series", and here is a review of the show, check out the last paragraph...

[I]Tonight’s show was supposed to feature Buckwheat Zydeco but due to an emergency it was filled by the Kimock Band featuring Steve Kimock, whose legendary guitar work is often associated with various members of the Grateful Dead. They played a great set to a packed crowd with Laurie Mendelsen’s soulful vocals carrying the canyon and everyone in it into the twilight.

The opening act of Utah local Daniel Weldon on guitar accompanied by Ryan Hawthorne on mandolin and slide guitar started the night right. They performed Dan’s latest album in its entirety, which was a unique way to play a set. But it was their killer rendition of Lowell George’s “Willin” with just the two instruments that was the highlight of the night. Little Feat couldn’t have done better.

What a fun gig ..... like your shirt/jacket
I have fond memories of Snowbird when it first opened in 71 as I worked at Matt Alvarez's ski shop and also coached the Alta Junior Ski Racing program 71 -73
I had seasons passes to both resorts and was I suppose the ultimate "Ski Bum"

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by Swamp Yankee

it's one of my favorite songs to play and sing. I played it last year at a campfire with friends, most of them my age or older, and I was shocked when nobody else was familiar with it at all.

I'm not surprised, even though ''Willin'' has been done by just about every truckin wannabe out there, it never got radio play. It was recorded in 1970 and 1971 was the FCC radio drug song purge. Beatles songs like ''Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'' (LSD), Stone songs, the Byrds ''Eight miles High'' were ripped off of the air. An unkown band like Little Feat never had a chance. ''Weed. Whites, and Wine''; are you kidding me!

Brewer and Shipley were clearly over the line with ''One Toke Over the Line''. And even ''Me and Bobby Mcgee'' got yanked for the line ''I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana''. Now that does song kind of druggy , especially with Janice singing it, but if they had looked at the next line; ''I was blowing soft while Bobby sang the blues'', they would have realized that it was about a harmonica!

But anyway, back to Willin. It's coming along nicely and like someone else mentioned earlier; it makes me sound like a much better player than I am!

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by KevWind

What a fun gig ..... like your shirt/jacket
I have fond memories of Snowbird when it first opened in 71 as I worked at Matt Alvarez's ski shop and also coached the Alta Junior Ski Racing program 71 -73
I had seasons passes to both resorts and was I suppose the ultimate "Ski Bum"

Hey Kev, my good friend Brad Stewart worked up at the bird in 71, did you know him? I think he started a small t-shirt service up there.

[Rodger Knox]

Yes, I still play it, prefaced with When Will I Be Loved, just like Linda.

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Any advice for playing it?

Keep it moving. This is one of a handful of good (even if overdone) songs (The Weight, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, most Dylan tunes) that are often slowed down to a hideous, keening, plaintive dirge. Ain't nobody wanna hear that.

[rwmct]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I'm not surprised, even though ''Willin'' has been done by just about every truckin wannabe out there, it never got radio play.

My recollection is that Ronstadt's version got a fair amount of airplay.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Hey Kev, my good friend Brad Stewart worked up at the bird in 71, did you know him? I think he started a small t-shirt service up there.

Honestly I don't remember , I may have known him but then that was a long long time and another life ago .

Ask him if he remembers a guy with a big 70 lb. all white German Shepherd .