Musical Snobbery at it’s finest

Sixty years ago today, Steve Goodman was born. He is known to most by “City of New Orleans”. He had his own career as a singer-songwriter which we will chronicle someday. He died much too soon of Leukemia at the age of 36. What many do not know was that he was diagnosed in 1969 at the age of 21. He fought the disease all of his adult life.

The story of this song is a wonderful one as well. In 1971, he opened for Kris Kristofferson who was impressed by the younger singer and introduced him to Paul Anka, who brought him to New York to record some demos. This trip opened up the opportunity to sign with Buddah Records. While there, he went to see Arlo Guthrie at a club. After his set, Steve asked to play a song for him. He agreed on the condition that Goodman buys him a beer first, and he would listen for as long as it took him to drink it. Not only did he sing the song, but Guthrie liked it enough to ask permission to record it.

The money he gained from this allowed him to launch his music career full time. Arlo Guthrie’s rendition is by far the best known, but artists from Johnny Cash, and John Denver, to Judy Collins and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Before his death, Goodman recorded 11 albums, not to mention several albums after.

Many have heard the song…not near enough have heard the songwriter….just thought you would like to know…..