“Early Morning Rain” was written in 1964 and was Gordon Lightfoot’s first song to get widely noticed. It was covered by Peter, Paul and Mary, Elvis Presley, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. Although it never charted very highly for anyone, it’s well-known among Gord’s fans as one of the gems of his song catalog. It’s a simple song with four verses, no bridge, and no choruses. Four chords, with a couple of sus chords thrown in. Still, its imagery captures the imagination of anyone who’s been far away from home and missing it.

John Denver wrote and recorded a lot of great songs, but if he had one signature song, this would probably be it. “Rocky Mountain High” is an autobiographical ode to his beloved adopted home state. This song became his second commercial hit after “Country Roads” and put him solidly on the path to stardom. If you were listening to the radio in the mid-1970’s, you would immediately recognize that opening riff, and no matter how jaded you are or how “corny” you might think JD was, it’s hard to escape the great feelings this song’s imagery evokes. Hope you enjoy my attempt at it, and I threw in some scenery because, well, it just needs to be there.

I recently came across a video of this song performed by Dylan and it brought it back to me with all the feelings I have associated with it from 1968. Written by Dick Holler, it was recorded originally by Dion and it became a hit for him. Many others have covered it, as well.

I was still only 12 years old in 1968, but the turmoil happening in the U.S. and around the world was still very real to me and certainly carried over into my teen and early adult years. This tribute to those civil rights leaders in our country who have paid the ultimate price (including scores of people who are not named) still gets to me. You might notice a little catch in my voice toward the end of the song–surprised even me how much it had stirred me.

Here’s “Abraham, Martin and John.”

A few months ago, some of the usual suspects and I decided it was time to climb back on the (virtual) tour bus and go for another ride. It’s always great to work with John Bacon, Gary Schoolcraft, Ben Eastman, and Ed Gonzales on these collaborations.

As noted on the Songfacts website, Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” album was “Recorded onstage, backstage, in three different hotel rooms, and on a Continental Silver Eagle tour bus during a cross-country tour in 1977, and is a paean to life on the road.” None of the recording was done in a traditional studio. And that’s without laptops and DAWs to work with, y’all.

Thanks to all these gentlemen for making music and life fun for me, and thanks to you for climbing aboard for the ride. Now strap on some headphones, crank up the volume, and sing this one with us—I know you know it!

Anybody here remember the 1960s? “Don’t speak too soon, for the wheel’s still in spin, and there’s no telling who that it’s naming…” Bob Dylan–“The Times They Are A-Changin'”

“Ohio” is about the events of May 4, 1970, when the US National Guard shot four unarmed students at Kent State University in Ohio. Neil Young wrote the song and recorded it with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and released it as a single one month after the shooting. You can find a good article about the song’s background and first-person accounts of the shooting on the Songfacts website.

Excited to debut this one! I was thrilled when Steve Urbi contacted me and said he’d like to work up a duet of a Jim Croce song. We settled on “Operator” and based this on a live performance by Croce and Maury Muehleisen.

The song is a truly great one, even though it’s dated since nobody really knows who an “operator” is any more. The heartbreaking lyrics and the intricate guitar arrangement by Jim and Maury are wonderful. If you’re a true Croce fan, you should visit the Songfacts website to read the backstory on the song. I will share this tidbit with you: In 2000, the Martin guitar company produced 73 guitars in honor of Jim Croce. In each of these guitars, an uncirculated 1973 dime was inserted in the third fret fingerboard in honor of this song and the final line, “You can keep the dime.”

Here’s a fun classic from Paul Simon.

Here’s a medley of a couple of Christmas songs. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was written by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time, it’s since become a Christmas standard. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was also composed in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Sung in the film by Judy Garland, it’s an attempt by her character to cheer up her little sister as the family is leaving their home and separating to different locations. A couple of melancholy tunes, for sure, but each with its own note of hope for the future. Hope you enjoy the arrangement I’ve come up with, and thanks for listening!

A few weeks ago I caught an old episode of Boston Legal and Scott Bakula sang this song to his old flame Candice Bergen. I thought, “Okay, that’s one I need to learn.” Written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, “Once Upon a Time” is from the 1962 musical All American, and it’s been covered by more than 50 artists from Bobby Darin to Perry Como to Bob Dylan. If you’re in a nostalgic mood, snuggle up to a cup of hot cocoa and let your mind wander back to the days of early love and the one that got away.