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  #16  
Old 04-15-2017, 03:25 PM
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Jesse Winchester was, simply, one of the most elegant and understated songwriters of my era... I first heard his songs when a friend taught me "Yankee Lady" and "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", back in the early 70's...

For a while I listened to every record he put out... and while not every song was stellar, there were always a few on each record that would light me up... kind of lost track of his stuff after "Let The Rough Side Drag"... but I know he put out a bunch of recordings after that.

The tribute album (done before Jesse passed, in order to assist with his medical expenses), "Quiet About It", is a WONDERFUL set of Jesse's tunes... and many of my favorites didn't even show up on that record! LOVE James Taylor's take of "Payday"; vastly different from the Rock and Blues version on Jesse's inaugural LP, with Robbie Robertson wailing on guitar... I highly recommend that collection, especially for anyone "new" to Jesse Winchester's brilliance.

I've always described him to people as "the Quintessential Southern Gentleman", embodying all the positive characteristics of the South... soft spoken, erudite to a fault, understated and eloquent...

I always try to play at least one of his tunes when I perform...
Here's a pretty funked-up version of Jesse's "Payday" (mentioned above) with the following back up crew: Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case and Ron Sexsmith -- not a bad back-up band. And Jesse is a very FUNNY vocalist, with great comic expressions. He wrote 'em sad and wrote 'em glad.



And yes, jseth, totally agree, the tribute album is terrific. How's this for a supporting cast: James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, Vince Gill, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell. This gives you an idea of the esteem in which Jesse's songs are held by his colleagues. My fave on the album is Allen Toussaint's lovely cover of "I Wave Bye-Bye," a song I didn't know but which has now become a staple of jams and shows for me.

Here's another funny one off one of his last CD's called "It's a Shame About Him." Love his facial expressions on this one.

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  #17  
Old 04-15-2017, 03:51 PM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
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It's hard to believe it's been three years since Jesse Winchester left us. I was lucky enough to see him several times in concert. It was always like going to a poetry reading with the added benefit of music.

Here he is wowing Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case and a whole room full of stunned listeners. A songwriter's songwriter if there ever was one:

Hi Scott,

That song is the reason why I bought that particular Jesse Winchester album! I really love his style and the character of his songwriting. Thanks for the reminder, Scott!

- Glenn
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  #18  
Old 04-15-2017, 04:12 PM
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For JW fans there's a very nice Tribute album, Quiet About It.

All beautiful covers by serious heavyweights, not a clunker in the bunch. Worth many times the cost of admission.



https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-About-T.../dp/B00936A2YQ
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Old 04-15-2017, 04:39 PM
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I remember that first Jesse Winchester album. My girlfriend had it and we listened to it all the time. I also remember a interview back then where he said he considered himself a soul singer not a folk singer. And then I lost track of him.

But then heard George Stait sing ''A Showman's Life'', in my opinion the best country song ever!! I looked it up, written by Jesse Winchester. I really don't know how many great songs of his I missed.
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Old 04-15-2017, 04:49 PM
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Yes, "A Showman's Life" is a great song and George Strait had a nice hit with it. I knew it from Jesse first and was so pleased to see he made some $$$ off that tune.

I tried to find a decide YT live version for GS but no dice, so here's Jesse:



So heartening to see all the love for Jesse here. I still think of him almost every day.

scott memmer
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Old 04-16-2017, 11:06 AM
DanleyJ DanleyJ is offline
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I loved Jesse. Great poet. Smooth and creamy voice and delivery. I can listen to him for hours. Miss him.
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  #22  
Old 04-16-2017, 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Glennwillow View Post
Hi Scott,

That song is the reason why I bought that particular Jesse Winchester album! I really love his style and the character of his songwriting. Thanks for the reminder, Scott!

- Glenn
Glenn, just a perfect pop song, so full of emotion. Jesse is the reason a bought and started playing a nylon. A whole different thing and a nice complement to a steel string. Whenever I play his songs, I reach for the nylon.

I'm going to eventually learn this song. Not that difficult. In fact I noticed he plays a lot of songs in D with the progression D-Bm-Em-A then back to the root. To vary it he moves the capo up and down the neck. And such an amazing voice, an instrument in its own right.

Cheers, Glenn!

scott memmer
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  #23  
Old 04-17-2017, 08:38 AM
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Your taste in songwriters is superb, Scott!
My short list of favorites is also topped by Steve Goodman and Jesse, as well as Michael Peter Smith.

2 of my favorite Jesse Winchester tunes above. Just try to watch the last one with a dry eye...

Last edited by auggie242; 04-19-2017 at 09:01 AM.
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  #24  
Old 04-17-2017, 09:27 AM
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You too indeed, Auggie. I count myself very lucky to have seen Jesse three times live at McCabe's out here. Many have commented here about Jesse's concerts as mesmerizing and that's probably the best word to describe it. He had that rare ability to create magic on the stage.

I've been performing "I Wave Bye-Bye" for years now when I play out. Such a beautiful song. He was one in a million. And Stevie Goodman, oh my my. Anyone who saw him in concert would never forget it. A real dynamo. We really DO have similar tastes, as I saw Michael Smith here in L.A. just a month (he rarely gets out here) and of course I'd put John Prine and Tom Waits on that short list.

During his show Michael made a comment that there are hundreds of bad versions of "The Dutchman." Below is my attempt, which many have told me is a pretty good cover. Did you ever seen Goodman in concert? Unforgettable experience. Auggie, thanks so much for contributing to this thread.

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Old 04-17-2017, 10:30 AM
auggie242 auggie242 is offline
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Nice version!
Never saw Jesse Winchester in concert. I've seen Michael Smith at least a dozen times. Only saw Steve Goodman twice (I had to be the only guy on the planet not to know "that his time was short" or I'd have seen him more often). Saw him the first time and finagled a way backstage with some friends to meet him (for all 2 minutes). Saw him a second time a year later with the same friends and he looked down from the stage and remembered who we were. Amazing guy. So different from Jesse in talents and style and yet both could enrapt an audience seemingly at the drop of a hat.

FWIW I have four of your picks, 2 reds and 2 nf-.090's and love them.

(As Goodman once said in his liner notes, "There. I wrote what you said. Now pay me the money!")

Last edited by auggie242; 04-17-2017 at 10:35 AM.
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  #26  
Old 04-17-2017, 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by auggie242 View Post
Nice version!
Never saw Jesse Winchester in concert. I've seen Michael Smith at least a dozen times. Only saw Steve Goodman twice (I had to be the only guy on the planet not to know "that his time was short" or I'd have seen him more often). Saw him the first time and finagled a way backstage with some friends to meet him (for all 2 minutes). Saw him a second time a year later with the same friends and he looked down from the stage and remembered who we were. Amazing guy. So different from Jesse in talents and style and yet both could enrapt an audience seemingly at the drop of a hat.

FWIW I have four of your picks, 2 reds and 2 nf-.090's and love them.

(As Goodman once said in his liner notes, "There. I wrote what you said. Now pay me the money!")
Auggie, you must live somewhere near Chicago if you've seen Michael that many times. I also do "Sister Clarissa," which I think is up on my YT page.

Goodman was a triple threat onstage -- funny, a great songwriter, and one of the best acoustic lead players of the last fifty years. He could really wail.

Didn't know about you and our picks, but thanks. It's funny, because usually the screen names are so different from the actual name that I don't know who I'm talking to.

The best show: At the Roxy in LA, of all places, in the late seventies, right after Bruised Orange had come out (which Stevie produced). Double bill, Goodman and Prine and we were about ten feet from the stage. If you ever saw Steve's "Broken String Song," you would never forget it. He brought the audience to his knees in laughter. They broke the mold....

Great stuff, Auggie. Wonderful to meet a Jesse fan.

scott
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  #27  
Old 04-17-2017, 02:06 PM
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....love that guy......i was lucky to enough to catch his shows at the Sisters Folk Festival some years back...he mesmerized us with his poignant tunes and highly entertaining dance moves...(video not from the festival)...

I was at that show. I first saw Jesse at the "Goin' West" in Scott, LA in about 1982. I was fortunate to see him a number of other times. He was a master songwriter, consummate performer, and could command the room with his quiet presence. He was a kind, gentle soul. I had the pleasure of visiting with him briefly at several of his shows. His body of work is amazing. His stature can only grow as more people discover his music.

Mississippi, You're On My Mind remains one of my favorites.
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  #28  
Old 04-17-2017, 02:19 PM
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Originally Posted by TheJackal View Post
I was at that show. I first saw Jesse at the "Goin' West" in Scott, LA in about 1982. I was fortunate to see him a number of other times. He was a master songwriter, consummate performer, and could command the room with his quiet presence. He was a kind, gentle soul. I had the pleasure of visiting with him briefly at several of his shows. His body of work is amazing. His stature can only grow as more people discover his music.

Mississippi, You're On My Mind remains one of my favorites.
I'm SO enjoying see the posts here and the love shown for Jesse and his songs. For those of you who have never heard of Jesse, especially young people who aspire to write songs here's a link to a story that a friend of mine sent to me because he knows what a Jesse nut I am.

https://theimmortaljukebox.com/2017/...rs-songwriter/

His position in the songwriting world reminds me John Hiatt: Awesome songwriter but flying largely under the radar.

sm
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  #29  
Old 04-19-2017, 06:38 AM
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I've been in love with his song "Bless your Foolish Heart" for a while

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuG-U-v83Mk

I've tried to figure out how to play it, but the above video has a microphone blocking his fretting hand. It's the only video of him playing that I have been able to locate

Dave
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  #30  
Old 04-19-2017, 07:49 AM
auggie242 auggie242 is offline
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Try this site, Dave. The song and chords will pop up after about 15 seconds.

https://play.riffstation.com/chords-...rt/TuG-U-v83Mk

Last edited by auggie242; 04-19-2017 at 08:00 AM.
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