Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Richie Havens, Born: January 21, 1941, Died: April 22, 2013

Well, another of the performers at Max's farm has died. Were it not for seeing the Woodstock movie when I was really young, I quite possibly might not have ever come across Richie. Though I always like his version of Motherless Child which eventually became more know as "Freedom", I think my favorite song of his will always be his cover of "What About Me". Here is one link to a pretty decent version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jm-G_2lpb8  My second favorite is Follow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjefIsixrfU

A few years back he did a real small show in Chicago at the Old Town School of Folk music and I didn't hear about it until after the fact. I never saw him play live, but of my favorite performers, he is in the very small number who grab me with their passion when I listen to them play. I don't think he was the wordsmith that Dylan was by any stretch, but I think he could take just about any song and make you FEEL it rather then hear it.

I think it is probably fitting that he died on Earth day. Farewell Richie.

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