One of the things I don’t like about getting old is that more and more of my friends are leaving this world.
While in Nashville recently I was driving home in my car one night listening to Eddie Stubbs on WSM and was shocked to hear him say that George Hamilton IV had had a heart attack and had passed away. I had a special place in my heart for George. In early 1978 Allen Reynolds called me up. He was making an album with George. They had recorded my song “Only The Best,” and he was inviting me over to Jack’s Tracks to listen to it. What a thrill it was to be in that control room listening to that mix! I’d been in Nashville less than a year. I’d known George since the time we invited him to come to the Newport Folk Festival in the late ’60’s. George had been one of the country artists who had made the connection with the folk revival with hits like “Abilene,” “Early Morning Rain,” and “Last Thing On My Mind.” When I had sent him a letter inviting him to the festival and explaining how we paid $50/day, I received a very nice, hand written letter back from him saying how honored he was to be asked and here was his $50! I set him straight on that, but he was a genuinely humble, self-effacing man. There was not a false bone in his body. So my song brought us back together. I was doubly honored that Allen, who was such an accomplished songwriter himself and a serious judge of songs, had thought enough of “Only The Best” to record it. After we had listened, he then told me that they were going to recommend to the label that it be released as a single. Two or three months later I was up in the Northeast driving somewhere. It was a Saturday night, so I made a stab at tuning in WSM. Almost immediately through the static I heard George singing, “She was only the best, No need to sit here and cry” I couldn’t help it. My eyes filled up and I had to pull over. A dream had come true.
FEELS LIKE A MILLION (Anchor Records UK 1978) with “Only the Best”
During the time Carol and I were in Ireland, George would always call when he was touring and have me get up and sing with him if he was close by. The last time I saw him was when we had a book party at the Station Inn for “In It For The Long Run.” George wouldn’t let me give him a copy. He insisted on buying two! Then he got up and sang “Abilene” and “Only The Best”–as it turned out, for the last time. A truer man would be hard to find.
George Hamilton IV at Grand Ole Opry 1950s (photo by Les Leverett)
When I first met Paul Craft he was playing banjo with Jimmy Martin. An odder couple would be hard to imagine! It mattered not at all to Jimmy that Paul had a seriously high IQ (he was a member of Mensa). He was a straight ahead banjo player. That’s all that mattered. Our paths crossed seriously when I first lived in Nashville in 1974. By this time Paul was beginning to establish himself as a songwriter and had become involved with banjo player Ben Eldredge and John Starling who had a new Bluegrass group called the Seldom Scene. They recorded Paul’s song “Keep Me From Blowing Away” and introduced the song to Linda Ronstadt, who also recorded it.
One night I ran into Paul and he invited me to come along with him down to The Pickin’ Parlor on 2nd Avenue. On the way we stopped at a hotel and picked up Linda Ronstadt! I had met Linda when the Stone Poneys played at the Club 47. Before the night was over we were all on the stage at the Pickin’ Parlor singing “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” and “Keep Me From Blowing Away.” When I came back to Nashville in 1976 and hooked up with Don Everly, Paul often joined us for Sunday afternoons at Don’s apartment where we enjoyed some great food and conversation. Paul had one of the liveliest minds of anyone I know. He loved wordplay. When Don recorded a solo album on Hickory Records Paul’s song “Brother Jukebox” was the title song of the album. Paul summed up the sad story of a man with a broken heart. All the family he had left was “Brother Jukebox, Sister Wine, Mother Freedom and Father Time.” Brilliant.
STRICTLY COUNTRY RECORDS (Holland 1998 – photo Sherry Oates)
In recent years Paul’s health deteriorated, but his spirit didn’t. I last talked to him two days before his long awaited induction into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.” I called to tell him that I had just returned from the IBMA Convention in Raleigh where the Seldom Scene had been inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. John Starling that night singled Paul out for contributing to the band’s success with the quality of his songs. I thought Paul would like to hear that, and he did. I congratulated him and told him I’d see him Sunday at the Hall of Fame induction dinner. Paul did make it to the ceremony and had his picture taken with the award but was stricken during the meal and had to be rushed to the hospital.
He wasn’t there to hear Britt Ronstadt [daughter of Linda’s cousin] sing,
“Lord, if you hear me, touch me and hold me
And keep me from blowing away.”
(photo: Bev Moser)
Paul also wasn’t there to smile as Bobby Bare sang, as only he could,
“Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life
End over end, neither left nor to right
Straight through the heart of them righteous uprights
There are various complications, which can inhibit fun sexual buy levitra online activity. Depression & anxiety is allied with amplified menace of cipla tadalafil erectile dysfunction. The formulations are result of a long research made by the experts. viagra online buy Paul Pasko also has several years experience in get viagra overnight software design, computer programming, and website management. Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life”
Paul Craft would probably not refer to himself as a religious man, but it did strike me on this night that his last words to us were the prayers of a mere mortal who was smart enough to know what he did not know.
[On February 4, 2015, there will be a tribute concert celebrating Paul’s life and work at the Station Inn, Nashville, organized by Shawn Camp)
2.4.15 Poster by Mike Armisted from an painting by Ginny Canfield
For further reference (about Paul Craft):
PETER COOPER
For further reference (George Hamilton IV):
COUNTRY MUSIC MAGAZINE – retrospective via Facebook
GEORGE IV TALKS ABOUT MUSIC, Family Heritage, Baby Ruth Candy Bars, Patsy Cline – Nashville Legend & MORE on Canada’s 100 Huntley Street TV Show. (Solo Acoustic Versions of: “A Rose & A Baby Ruth” & “Abilene”) [YouTube]