Bob/Johnny –> Kris –> John/Steve –> Dan

October 11, 2007

This post isn’t really an update on the Wilsons. It’s just interesting music geneology that struck me this week.

Bob/Johnny
As in “Dylan” and “Cash.” The former was a major star in 1965 when he didn’t notice the janitor emptying ashtrays in the recording studio he was workin in. The latter recorded that janitor’s first big hit in 1969: “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”

Kris
Kristofferson. The janitor mentioned above.

John/Steve
Prine and Goodman. Both easily on my top 10 list of songwriters all-time. Prine writes sometimes-quirky/melancholy/humorous/political folk/bluegrass/country-rock songs: “Illegal Smile,” “Sam Stone,” “Spanish Pipedream,” “Some Humans Ain’t Human,” “The Glory of True Love,” (I’ll stop now…). Goodman wrote a number of songs, although his most recognizable ones were made famous by bigger names, including “City of New Orleans” and “You Never Even Call Me By My Name.” Goodman also graduated from high school in Chicago with Hilary Rodham Clinton — how’s THAT for trivia? Both Prine and Goodman…were discovered by Kristofferson while hanging out and performing in Chicago. Goodman, sadly, passed away when he was just 36 after battling leukemia for a number of years.

Dan
Reeder. Even if all of the above was old news, I’m guessing Dan Reeder is a new name. He’s been popping up on my Pandora station (which heavily features every musician mentioned in this post, as well as Todd Snider, Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt, Warren Zevon, Arlo Guthrie, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jason Boland, and Robert Earl Keen among others) with “I’ll Never Surf Again.” The premise of the song is…well..a little weird. But, talk about raw, simple music and lyrics that really grab you…

He was discovered by John Prine. And the story behind THAT is just. Darn. Fascinating.

Talk about a guy who’s truly livin’ the dream!

Posted in Tim