Any John Hartford fans?

I remember when I was really little my Dad took me to the Strawberry Festival in Yosemite. He was one of the headliners, and he signed one of my Dad's albums for me - I don't remember which one it was though. I remember him as a really funny guy.

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Yeah, with a steady hand, and all the curlicues. He never rushed it either!
Incredibly cool guy!

Wow FroggerZ! I didn't know he signed his name like that!

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A friend of mine took his eight year old daughter to see Hartford at the Missouri Botanical Garden auditorium, and grabbed a front row seat. During a sing-along, John was winking and crossing his eyes at her, and she was giggling...That was John Hartford.
I saw him perform a couple of years before he passed, and it was a great show!
Anyone ever get his autograph? (as always, in the old steamboat ledger "script" style)

I remember John Harford all the way back from when he was a guest on shows like The Smothers Brothers and Glen Cambell shows. He was "Americana" before it was a musical catagory.

Ricky Skaggs, no slouch himself, once said if there was one person no one wanted to follow it was John Hartford. He said he looked out one night and the once full auditorium was only about half full. Hartford had formed a conga line and was circling the building with the missing half--outside. I once saw him in person and I don't think I have ever seen anyone who could walk on stage with a fiddle, tap shoes, and a hat, and have the audience in the palm of his hand.
Champtree--I agree, the tribute album is special.

If you folks want to hear John everyday, you can do some web-streaming here at: http://bluegrassbox.com/jhradio.php
Great stuff. Tim Obrien is on the site too.

His novelty songs were great, but he was so much more than that. It's hard for me not to have to say that my favorite is Gentle on My Mind. I also love Tall Buildings, a beautiful ballad about losing ones childhood to grow up and work in tall buildings.

John was a real master of old fiddle tunes. I loved what he used to say about them. His wife said she hated them because they all had funny names and sounded the same. John loved them. Because they all had funny names and sounded the same.

'two hits and the joint turned brown'-dillard/hartford/dillard

Great stuff, though I find some of his albums a lot more listenable than others . His "Big Rock Candy Mountain" stole the show IMO, in the movie "Down from the Mountain". And I've been known to claim that "Baking Soda" from the 1967 Earthwords album is actually the first Rap song on record - check it out.

I wish I had a chance to meet him. Aeroplane is great too! I love the song "Bluegrass Music" where he sings the name of 50 to 60 Bluegrass artist in one breath. His tribute album (his last) is worth getting.

Aeroplane, it's great! He was one of my favorites that played regularly at my fathers night club when I was growing up. Great performer, great person.

Woops I forgot, I agree with Mt10425 I love Aeroplane!

I'm another. Areoplane is one of my favorite LPs.

I'm one!