John described his style as 'American Primitive'. I saw him around this time frame at a small club on Long Island. Dead drunk when he took the stage, but as soon as he picked up his guitar he played like an angel. He'd mumble incoherently between songs and then play another beautiful piece. I never saw a transformation like this from human to divine and will never forget the show.. Great analysis, Fil
My brother-in-law was a dedicated Fahey fan and taught me a lot about fingerprinting. He also told me about seeing Fahey live and drunk just as you said. Thanks for explaining Fahey so well.
Red Shield I think that is this channels greatest asset, introducing artists that we have never heard of. There have been a few that I wasn't familiar with myself.
John Leonard I agree! I’ve gone from never hearing of some of these guitarists, to being fans and buying their iTunes and playing their songs. And I really like this guy, and his attitude towards music. He’s open to every style. Plus I’m Swiss and I’m always study the way the British speak English. It studied English in the UK. Americans, Australians and Canadians alway think I’m English, LOL, but I never fool the British! They always know something is not quite right with the way I speak. I’ll even say things very British like “Cheerio!” and they’ll laugh and say “Seriously, where are you from?”
@@johnleonard3806 So true..that’s in part why I use the Share Arrow to send to budding musicians. Fil's body of work is phenomenal and must be shared. When you get a kid started with merely thinking about a subject, he or she will remember you forever. Just glad Fil finally left a guitar case opened in the form of a Thanks Icon. Thanks, Fil.
Oh man makes me cry, it is so like my dad’s playing. So soft and easy. He was an antiques man and fine cabinet maker, and when he played guitar it was gentle as well. Thank you for teaching about composition. You should have a mad number of students or even teach group master classes.
Instant thumb's up from me. One of my all-time favorites. What a sad life but such a rich musical legacy. Fare Forward Voyageurs is the zenith of his playing and composition skills. Stunning album.
Fil im really happy you did an exam on John Fahey. I was very fortunate and blessed to see Fahey perform at The Amazinggrace in Evanston,Illinois in 1976. And he was mezmerizing. He played a lot of very long instrumentals which never bored because, as you described, his fluctuating techniques and his incredible improvisation skills. He was almost like Coltrane. Incredible. The man is very very funny as well. Didnt speak a word to the audience until about 30 minutes into his performance. I swear he was wearing the same clothes as in your video. But he suddenly stopped playing this medium paced hypnotic drone/raga type thing...put his guitar down and giggled. He asked "Where is the bathroom?" This took everyone by surprise and no one responded immediately. John asked again finally someone from the audience explained to him the whereabouts of the bathroom. Fahey got up jumped off the small stage and disappeared thru the crowd which was a Theatre In The Round type arrangement. People began laughing and talking. Fahey returned 5 minutes later. He sat up on his stool guitar in hand and explained he has been trying to give up drinking and the promoters put a cooler full of Heineken Beer in his dressing room and he got a bit drunk. Anyway...Fahey picked up his guitar and...to my ears...picked up exactly where he left off. It was amazing.
I saw John in Huntington Beach Ca. in what must have been 1970. He came onstage with his guitar (which might have been a Recording King) and a cigarette and a can of Coke (mostly whiskey). He took a big drag off the cigarette, said something no one understood, then a long pull off the can then started to play and went on for about forty five minutes without letup, sometimes tuning on the fly. His playing was at a very casual tempo yet with an amazing attention to detail; he could live an eternity inside each note and still be accessible. He suddenly stopped playing and lit up a fresh cigarette and had another big toke from the can and announced: "my wife left me" then tuned up and played for another forty five minutes with about half of the audience (and me) mouth breathing for most it. He played totally clean and sounded like two guitar players; I couldn't believe someone could play like that and have been a fan ever since. Years later I watched a video (on RUclips) of Leo Kottke telling his audience that he owed his entire adult life to John Fahey before launching into "The Last Steam Engine Train"; a fitting eulogy for an incredible talent and a tragic life. R.I.P. John.
I saw Fahey in Bellingham while at WWU in the early 80's, he was amazing, saw Kottke in Bremerton around 05', I took my young son to see him, he was enthralled. The people we sat next were also at the same Fahey concert in WWU, what a small world.
Thanks fil,for taking us on a musical journey,idk how long you wanna keep doing this on yt,but for now,i appreciate each video,have a great weekend brother.
I meant to add that john Fahey's Christmas albums get a lot of play around here. Great renditions of Christmas songs even some of those that you may not like so much. Thank you for posting hos music.
Thanks for the analysis. "Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home" is what old music fans call a "train song" -- the base line mimics the train getting up to speed as it starts going down the tracks, and goes round the bend, It may slow slightly as it goes up hill, or rush as it goes down hill, or put on power as it hits a straightaway ... and it finally slows as it comes into the next station. Fahey recorded another variant of this song under the title "Steve Talbot on the Keddie Wye." Steve Talbot was an acoustic guitarist who worked on the Southern Pacific railroad, and the Keddie Wye is a famous Y-shaped railroad bridge along the Southern Pacific line in California. (This recording is on YT) . The melody also appears in Blind Willie McTell's song "Travelin' Blues," another train song, in which McTell sings ,"Then I go along further and begin to sing "Poor Boy" to 'im. (guitar plays "Poor Boy") Then he begin to smile in my face." (This too is on YT).
I saw John Fahey at Folk City in NYC sometime in the 80's. About halfway through the set he leaned into the microphone and asked, "Is anybody driving to Yonkers tonight?" Somebody in the crowd flagged him and I guess that's how he got home that night. I loved his recording called "The New Possibility".
Fil... you're so good at explaining musical techniques and pointing these things out to some of us, such as myself, that are novices. You explain these musical concepts in a way that makes it simple for me to understand. The piece by John Fahey is beautiful! I could listen to it over and over and over again. It does sound a bit familiar to me. But he is someone I haven't consciously been made aware of, again when I was a kid in the 70's I didn't listen to as many different genres of music as I wish I would have... you really have opened up a whole new world of music appreciation for me and for that I'm very grateful...❤🤘
Wasn’t played on the radio. There were often college stations, alternative radio was available in some big cities. But no commercial radio stations were playing music like his. Even in his hometown of DC. He played at Cellar Door which is virtuality on the campus of Georgetown University.
I was captivated by his playing back in the early 70's and learned a few of his tunes and his influences gave me more fodder for study. Thanks for posting and love the show!
I was privileged to see Fahey play at the Back Door at SDSU (San Diego) 1969 or 70, couldn’t have been more than 50 people in attendance. John walked on stage eating a sandwich, tuned his guitar and played an amazing set, then exited. Really not any talking, just played and left, no encore, just played and exited. He was one of my favorite back the and still is. I still have the Yellow Princess vinyl album and I had an Irish Setter, if you have ever owned an Irish Setter that song sums it up. Loved his playing.
So well done sir having John Fahey up for a listen and discussion. His blend (and mastery) of standard folk and blues styles and at times incredibly unorthodox playing is what got me to pick up a guitar. I remember a folks festival back 40 years or so when I was mesmerized by a performance by this odd, mumbling eccentric cat under a musty canvas tent to a crowd of about 5 or 6 people. It was incredible.
I first heard Fahey play back in 1967, so I've grown to know his music fairly well over the decades. "Relaxed and easy to listen to" is not something I've ever heard someone say of Fahey because it isn't true. He is a master, he was extremely creative dreaming up a way to make the American steel string dreadnought a concert instrument even though he often used open tunings, and he had a particularly difficult life. But of course, he produced a brilliant body of work. The video used here, which is part of a pretty good performance in Germany, still suffers from what Fahey was going through at the time. On a happier note, there is an excellent British guitarist, Kris Dollimore, who really understands Fahey and plays him very well. But as far as I know, he continues to enjoy the same obscurity as his mentor. You would all do well to hear how accomplished a musician he is. He has many excellent Fahey covers on You Tube.
I didn't know what I've missed until the last few months when I first heard him and I'am sixty five. How could I miss something this good, well now I know and it's a big plus to add to the stuff I like and can buy, Thanks for great vid.
I've been a John Fahey fan since the 60s. I actually met John, he had come to Montreal to play at a local folk music club. Apparently he had a girlfriend in Montreal. In between sets I would talk to him in the green room. He had been to India and also I had been to India. Apparently he was or had been a follower of a woman saint, Anandamayi Ma. After the gig, I drove him back to his hotel. The next morning he was flying back to the states. I still love his music, an originator of the guitar style called "Americian Primitive Guitar".
Everyone was trying to play like him back in the day. Thankyou for this appreciation- stellar as usual. I think you’d love Gillian Welch’s songs and Dave Rawlings’ accompanying guitar work and harmonies. Great Americana!
First heard John on John Peel's 'Perfumed Garden'. Me and my friend Dennis Murphy. In darkest Greenford back in 1967. My parents went to San Francisco in 68 and came back with about 4 of his albums. Still in love with that Senorita guitar.
Why do the really good musicians make it look so easy? Fil, I appreciate your ability to break down and explain the technical aspects of what the musician is doing to create each particular portion of their music. For someone like me, who would only make a great roadie, seeing the other side is fantastic! You Rock! 🤘
Paul Johnson They make it look easy because it is easy. To them! Many, many, many hours of practice. There is a video where John says that when he practices it is usually for 8 hours or more.
Thanks for taking such a good look at John Fahey's music, which really deserves more widespread recognition--it's so beautiful. If you ever want to do more shows about open tuning, I recommend some shows looking at Hawai'ian slack key style guitar. There are many great players--one was a colleague of Fahey, George Winston.
Fahey's playing has had a profound influence on mine and my musical mind in general. I agree with other people who post that although he is revered in guitar circles he is relatively unknown and that is a shame. What a fantastic talent who played music from such a pure unadulterated, unspoiled place. He was effectively homeless and broke at one point and a re-release kind of saved his butt after that. A complicated human with massive music heart. Thanks for reviewing him Fil, your respect for him is evident.
His 1967 album 'Days Have Gone By' was his greatest album IMO. 'The Portland Cement Factory In Monolith California' is a great composition and the story behind it is quite interesting as well. Get this album and listen to it from start to finish with headphones. A total masterpiece. The Bacon and Day guitar he had then had the rarest of tonal qualities.
A true inspiration. to any after him Leo Kottke.Robbie Basho,to contemporary players on You Tube.The first FIL. I heard him his playing immediately turned my ears,that led into Pentangle and recognized that was a wave of interest of guitarist seeking something other than blues players that were in the popular field on the American radio.Kudos to you for bringing to the forefront John Fahey to new audiences. Keep up the good work Fil.
This brings tears to my eyes ( that John passed and played so beautifully). By the way, the real title to this cut is "Poor boy long ways from home'. The boy is alone and a long way from home. Loneliness. John must have felt it at times.
Love John Fahey. He's got this whole spooky vibe. There's a lot of good compilations of his work on Spotify, but I'd steer you towards his 1975 "Old Fashioned Love" album. It alternates between some beautiful weird eastern songs like this video, then veers into some full band dixie land jazz, and finished with some very bleak delta blues flavored work. It's just a bizarre album, but it works and has some of his best work on it. Check out song 2 on that album, "Java Shiva Shankarah" which has a beautiful open C tuned melodic guitar duet on it. The opening track "In a Persian market" is also a really odd but rewarding meander through 3-4 different styles (eastern->dixieland->spanish)
The title is actually ‘View East from top of Riggs Road’. His songs ‘Dalhart Texas’ and ‘Sunflower River Blues’ are also killer. But thanks for the videos. I loved your breakdown of that Glenn Campbell ‘Gentle on my Mind’, one of my all time favorite videos.
I have listened to John Fahey since the late sixties🎸🎶‼️. He has always knocked me out. Loved your stellar (as usual) reaction🌟‼️ i always thought he was playing a 12 string before I could see it was a six. Thanks for checking him out.✌️🦋
I first discovered Fahey in the mid-sixties, and what with his work as a musicologist and a producer, I think he was one of the most important people in American music. Like a lot of other people I learned how to play by listening to his amazing records. And a word to aspiring students. If you think that playing with your fingers in syncopation with your thumb is easy, just try it. Thanks for the vid, Fil, as usual.
Great analysis! It's clear how much you appreciate Fahey and his more popular protege Leo Kottke. When Kottke and Fahey rose to popularity in the early 1970's many of their fans were listening to them under the influence of pot or LSD. Those drugs relaxed the listeners and helped them appreciate the subtleties you talk about. But some of us don't need drugs to listen that carefully! My own instrument is 5 string banjo, but my personal style was influenced by guitarists like Fahey and Kottke.
Love your explanation of the different techniques of these excellent guitar players. Once these things are pointed out we can understand them and notice them in other players thus expanding our knowledge and awareness leading to better appreciation . Please excuse the long winded explanation!
I discovered Fahey while listening to the " Kottke , Fahey , Lang " album . Several of his albums have travelled with me for the last forty plus years . I only managed to see him perform live once , but it was an amazing night for me . I saw him at a small club called the Hummingbird in Indianapolis . I bought him a beer and we chatted for a few minutes during his break . I wish I could remember what we talked about .
All the way through the tune he also does very slight variations of the repeating melody lines. I didn't pick up on how advanced his playing is before I tried playing it myself. Great video! 😄
Thanks for this, brother. Bought Blind Joe Death in 1969. Still listen and am amazed. His Desperate Man Blues is so simple yet with an increasing intensity. Chills. Thanks Fil.
Im a twenty + years bass player,always trying to evolve as one..but Fahey is the one that actually convinced me to really learn the acoustic 6 strings guitar and to be very More interested by sound,technique,gear,players, history etc..thanks ï love this Channel.hugo from france
Wow I love how the melody and tempo sort of meander on this song. That's so funny, at 8 minutes in, I went back to look at the name of the song and noticed the same thing. It really does sound like a journey. Did he write this song?
It is his song, but if you go to the original video in the comments you can see people debating this! I think it's a very common progression that repeats in a few songs!
There are many blues songs with this name or very similar names like 'Poor Boy Long Ways From Home' making "way" the plural rather than "boy" by people like R.L. Burnside, Gus Canon, Barbeque Bob, Mississippi John Hurt and even Howlin Wolf = ruclips.net/video/FEyU2jyMpho/видео.html it seems to have been a popular theme in the blues.
Relatively unknown great, but a HUGE influence on many performers. I suggested him and am very happy you found him and gave him a well deserved shout out.
I saw him play several times in the late 70s early 80s, and he was amazing. And funny as hell between songs, he was similar to Kottke in that he kept us all entertained while he tuned and prepared for his next tune.
Some other fine acoustic players you could look into are Glenn Jones and Jack Rose..all aficionados of Fahey. Another excellent player is Daniel Bachmann. Fahey is an interesting writer as well and there is a book of his short stories. One of the stories is a true story that takes place in 1964 or 65. Fahey describes he was in a club to see electric Blues guitarist Henry Vestine play. This was before Vestine was in Canned Heat..but after the performance another guitarist..a young Black man..joined Fahey and Vestine at their table and introduced himself. It was Jimi Hendrix. Jimi had not yet been discovered and was playing in all manner of bands. Fahey yesrs later actually covered a Hendrix song..."May This Be Love" from "Are You Experienced?". Fahey also did a version of "Layla".
As it happens, Jimi was also roommates with John Hammond for a while. Apparently John tried to teach him acoustic finger-picking, but Jimi never got it.
@@danielschaeffer1294 Thats a very cool story and thanks for sharing. Did Hammond ever tell you how he had both Hendrix and Clapton in his band for about a week in NYC in 67 or 68? Can you imagine how that sounded?
I was lucky enough to see John Fahey at a free concert in Parliament Hill Fields in North London in 1969 with Procul Harum headlining and fell in love right there and then. He is mesmeric and absolutely fascinating as a player and a 'personality' and if you love Leo Kottke but want half the notes in better time JF is yer man....Hahahahaha (I jest of course - Kottke is a miraculous timekeeper but Fahey is like the reassuring tick of a beautiful grandfather clock)
Really rhythmical...a lot of great guitar work going on but so much ease in his sound and playing! Haven’t heard a lot of his music Fil...I think he’s brilliant, so relaxing!! Great analysis Fil!😁😁👌👌
Faheys Album Railroad was my personal discovery and experience last year. When I started play more acoustic and my style changed, I was a bit shocked, it got a lil' kinda way of how he play it. And I love his play and how he used the slide, he is damn important as a musician and more people should know him🙂
This song reminds me of a song I had on a sampler lp when I was a kid. Tangerine Puppet by Donovan. Thanks Fil, yes great relaxing song respektos to John Fahey.
I love Donovan, I do have to say many of his guitar parts would sound monotonous without the lyrics though. He usually had great guitarists like Jimmy Page play the parts in the studio. Great lyricist. Ever hear his stuff when the Jeff Beck group played with him? Great stuff ruclips.net/video/bOniagjp7fo/видео.html
I liked T Rex, not their sugar pop and pseudo Metal stuff and they were never my favorite but they had some interesting rhythms and Marc was a better player than his recorded stuff would suggest. I saw them when they really were very good, almost Zeppelin calibre, and later, when he was in that leather phase, when I wondered what happened to them. Their albums seemed a lot more subdued than their live performances. They seemed to be badly managed or something, changed direction a lot and they tried to turn Marc into a teenie idol and pretty much succeeded until Rod Stewart turned that direction. T Rex never really took hold here in the states . Never really equated Donovan with Mark though, Donovan seemed more like a softer more Romantic Dylan type. Tyrannosaurus Rex was interesting too, a little weird but pretty interesting.
Go and find the several different, excellent versions that Fahey does of this traditional song over the years, and you'll discover that he tried many varying approaches in his arrangements; he rarely played these songs the same way from one year to the next. There are indeed other, earlier versions of "Poor Boy" that I prefer, but I can appreciate what he is trying to do here, and also remember that he was having to play a lot of these same songs year in and year out, so he had to become inventive in terms of phrasing and tempo in order to himself keep interested in the repertoire, and to keep it interesting and indeed surprising for his audiences. Bravo Fahey, you are one of my guitar Gods. Whenever I play this song for someone who has never heard me play before, I sure do get a reaction! :) On another note, go listen to "Prodigal Son" by the Rolling Stones. Notice anything familiar? It's the same song... :)
Actually never heard of him..thanks for the introduction to this guy..his picking style with the base line reminds me a lot of Lindsey Buckinghams style as well on acoustic..
I saw him play in a club in Chicago late in his life around 1997 with another avant- garde player named Jim O’Rourke, who championed him to a whole new indie rock audience. O’Rouke played a couple of droning, looping extended pieces from his records of the time and then played a bit with Fahey when he came on, the whole time lit by only a couple small lights. One of the most memorable concerts of my life. I have been listening to ‘On the Sunny Side of the Ocean’ from the same show every few months for the last, oh, 5 years or so. I think it’s even more amazing than this. :) ruclips.net/video/qYDrkG2EGwg/видео.html
John described his style as 'American Primitive'. I saw him around this time frame at a small club on Long Island. Dead drunk when he took the stage, but as soon as he picked up his guitar he played like an angel. He'd mumble incoherently between songs and then play another beautiful piece. I never saw a transformation like this from human to divine and will never forget the show.. Great analysis, Fil
Cool! Thanks!
My brother-in-law was a dedicated Fahey fan and taught me a lot about fingerprinting. He also told me about seeing Fahey live and drunk just as you said. Thanks for explaining Fahey so well.
Love that you're covering John Fahey. Not enough people know about him
tmage23 I never heard of him. I love his music. I googled him and he passed in 2001. His music lives on though.
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Red Shield
I think that is this channels greatest asset, introducing artists that we have never heard of. There have been a few that I wasn't familiar with myself.
John Leonard I agree! I’ve gone from never hearing of some of these guitarists, to being fans and buying their iTunes and playing their songs. And I really like this guy, and his attitude towards music. He’s open to every style. Plus I’m Swiss and I’m always study the way the British speak English. It studied English in the UK. Americans, Australians and Canadians alway think I’m English, LOL, but I never fool the British! They always know something is not quite right with the way I speak. I’ll even say things very British like “Cheerio!” and they’ll laugh and say “Seriously, where are you from?”
@@johnleonard3806 So true..that’s in part why I use the Share Arrow to send to budding musicians. Fil's body of work is phenomenal and must be shared.
When you get a kid started with merely thinking about a subject, he or she will remember you forever.
Just glad Fil finally left a guitar case opened in the form of a Thanks Icon. Thanks, Fil.
I love John Fahey. What an inspiration. Listening to his playing is like taking a magic carpet ride.
Fil, thanks for exposing more people to this under appreciated genius of Americana
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Thanks!
Love acoustic picking and he was great. Who needs a band when you have that.
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Oh man makes me cry, it is so like my dad’s playing. So soft and easy. He was an antiques man and fine cabinet maker, and when he played guitar it was gentle as well. Thank you for teaching about composition. You should have a mad number of students or even teach group master classes.
Thanks!
Instant thumb's up from me. One of my all-time favorites. What a sad life but such a rich musical legacy. Fare Forward Voyageurs is the zenith of his playing and composition skills. Stunning album.
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Personally I'll take "America," but maybe it's just a matter of taste.
Not so sad. He knew all that he could be. It was there if he wanted it. He knew it.
Absolutely beautiful piece of music, played by a true master of his art.
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John Fahey....so talented, so underrated. Thanks for sharing.
Fil im really happy you did an exam on John Fahey. I was very fortunate and blessed to see Fahey perform at The Amazinggrace in Evanston,Illinois in 1976. And he was mezmerizing. He played a lot of very long instrumentals which never bored because, as you described, his fluctuating techniques and his incredible improvisation skills. He was almost like Coltrane. Incredible. The man is very very funny as well. Didnt speak a word to the audience until about 30 minutes into his performance. I swear he was wearing the same clothes as in your video. But he suddenly stopped playing this medium paced hypnotic drone/raga type thing...put his guitar down and giggled. He asked "Where is the bathroom?" This took everyone by surprise and no one responded immediately. John asked again finally someone from the audience explained to him the whereabouts of the bathroom. Fahey got up jumped off the small stage and disappeared thru the crowd which was a Theatre In The Round type arrangement. People began laughing and talking. Fahey returned 5 minutes later. He sat up on his stool guitar in hand and explained he has been trying to give up drinking and the promoters put a cooler full of Heineken Beer in his dressing room and he got a bit drunk. Anyway...Fahey picked up his guitar and...to my ears...picked up exactly where he left off. It was amazing.
Cool!
David Key....great story!...thanks for sharing...✌
@@loripond1839 you are most welcome Lori!!
I saw John in Huntington Beach Ca. in what must have been 1970. He came onstage with his guitar (which might have been a Recording King) and a cigarette and a can of Coke (mostly whiskey). He took a big drag off the cigarette, said something no one understood, then a long pull off the can then started to play and went on for about forty five minutes without letup, sometimes tuning on the fly. His playing was at a very casual tempo yet with an amazing attention to detail; he could live an eternity inside each note and still be accessible. He suddenly stopped playing and lit up a fresh cigarette and had another big toke from the can and announced: "my wife left me" then tuned up and played for another forty five minutes with about half of the audience (and me) mouth breathing for most it. He played totally clean and sounded like two guitar players; I couldn't believe someone could play like that and have been a fan ever since. Years later I watched a video (on RUclips) of Leo Kottke telling his audience that he owed his entire adult life to John Fahey before launching into "The Last Steam Engine Train"; a fitting eulogy for an incredible talent and a tragic life. R.I.P. John.
I saw Fahey in Bellingham while at WWU in the early 80's, he was amazing, saw Kottke in Bremerton around 05', I took my young son to see him, he was enthralled. The people we sat next were also at the same Fahey concert in WWU, what a small world.
Thanks fil,for taking us on a musical journey,idk how long you wanna keep doing this on yt,but for now,i appreciate each video,have a great weekend brother.
Thanks Scott! ☺
I meant to add that john Fahey's Christmas albums get a lot of play around here. Great renditions of Christmas songs even some of those that you may not like so much. Thank you for posting hos music.
Thanks for the analysis. "Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home" is what old music fans call a "train song" -- the base line mimics the train getting up to speed as it starts going down the tracks, and goes round the bend, It may slow slightly as it goes up hill, or rush as it goes down hill, or put on power as it hits a straightaway ... and it finally slows as it comes into the next station. Fahey recorded another variant of this song under the title "Steve Talbot on the Keddie Wye." Steve Talbot was an acoustic guitarist who worked on the Southern Pacific railroad, and the Keddie Wye is a famous Y-shaped railroad bridge along the Southern Pacific line in California. (This recording is on YT) . The melody also appears in Blind Willie McTell's song "Travelin' Blues," another train song, in which McTell sings ,"Then I go along further and begin to sing "Poor Boy" to 'im. (guitar plays "Poor Boy") Then he begin to smile in my face." (This too is on YT).
Thank you thank you thank you! I discovered John Fahey in 1975 and he remains my favorite guitarist ever. He’s a hidden gem.
I saw John Fahey at Folk City in NYC sometime in the 80's. About halfway through the set he leaned into the microphone and asked, "Is anybody driving to Yonkers tonight?" Somebody in the crowd flagged him and I guess that's how he got home that night. I loved his recording called "The New Possibility".
Fil... you're so good at explaining musical techniques and pointing these things out to some of us, such as myself, that are novices. You explain these musical concepts in a way that makes it simple for me to understand. The piece by John Fahey is beautiful! I could listen to it over and over and over again. It does sound a bit familiar to me. But he is someone I haven't consciously been made aware of, again when I was a kid in the 70's I didn't listen to as many different genres of music as I wish I would have... you really have opened up a whole new world of music appreciation for me and for that I'm very grateful...❤🤘
No problem! ☺
Wasn’t played on the radio. There were often college stations, alternative radio was available in some big cities.
But no commercial radio stations were playing music like his. Even in his hometown of DC.
He played at Cellar Door which is virtuality on the campus of Georgetown University.
What a great musician, very mellow.I never heard of him until now,. Thank you for sharing, Fil❤✌
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Wow! First I've heard of him, but some great work! Thanks!
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He had a lot of Records, and some of them are very different and experimental.
Fil, the hardest working RUclipsr, putting out videos everyday and with the most epic mic.
Thanks! 😂
Agree max...That's why I've linked one of my favorites, look above, I hope he likes, link will be below:)
You mean Phil, surely?
I consider you my Rock Pundit! Always looking forward to your next video! Peace
Thanks!
I was captivated by his playing back in the early 70's and learned a few of his tunes and his influences gave me more fodder for study. Thanks for posting and love the show!
I was privileged to see Fahey play at the Back Door at SDSU (San Diego) 1969 or 70, couldn’t have been more than 50 people in attendance. John walked on stage eating a sandwich, tuned his guitar and played an amazing set, then exited. Really not any talking, just played and left, no encore, just played and exited. He was one of my favorite back the and still is. I still have the Yellow Princess vinyl album and I had an Irish Setter, if you have ever owned an Irish Setter that song sums it up. Loved his playing.
Alternate tunings are awesome, they can give you new territory to explore. This performance was flawless🤟🏻
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Saw John many times in Seattle, including U of W campus. Stunned me when I discovered an early album on a friends record player in 1968.
I was not familiar with John. What an amazing talent! It's sad that he is no longer with us. Thanks for spotlighting this amazing man!
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So well done sir having John Fahey up for a listen and discussion. His blend (and mastery) of standard folk and blues styles and at times incredibly unorthodox playing is what got me to pick up a guitar.
I remember a folks festival back 40 years or so when I was mesmerized by a performance by this odd, mumbling eccentric cat under a musty canvas tent to a crowd of about 5 or 6 people. It was incredible.
I still get teary-eyed when I listen to him playing 'Lion'. I miss my cats . . . . . .
thank you thank you thank you - and for the note on the shared Ry Cooder style...
I first heard Fahey play back in 1967, so I've grown to know his music fairly well over the decades. "Relaxed and easy to listen to" is not something I've ever heard someone say of Fahey because it isn't true. He is a master, he was extremely creative dreaming up a way to make the American steel string dreadnought a concert instrument even though he often used open tunings, and he had a particularly difficult life. But of course, he produced a brilliant body of work. The video used here, which is part of a pretty good performance in Germany, still suffers from what Fahey was going through at the time. On a happier note, there is an excellent British guitarist, Kris Dollimore, who really understands Fahey and plays him very well. But as far as I know, he continues to enjoy the same obscurity as his mentor. You would all do well to hear how accomplished a musician he is. He has many excellent Fahey covers on You Tube.
Big smile on my face throughout this performance. I bet this was a joy to play on a bright springy Martin.
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I didn't know what I've missed until the last few months when I first heard him and I'am sixty five. How could I miss something this good, well now I know and it's a big plus to add to the stuff I like and can buy, Thanks for great vid.
John had a sad beautiful soul and it showed every time he played. My favorite artist.
Thanks for the beautiful video...
John Fahey's rendering, brings tears to my eyes...!!
I've been a John Fahey fan since the 60s.
I actually met John, he had come to Montreal to play at a local folk music club. Apparently he had a girlfriend in Montreal.
In between sets I would talk to him in the green room. He had been to India and also I had been to India. Apparently he was or had been a follower of a woman saint, Anandamayi Ma.
After the gig, I drove him back to his hotel. The next morning he was
flying back to the states.
I still love his music, an originator of the guitar style called "Americian Primitive Guitar".
Everyone was trying to play like him back in the day. Thankyou for this appreciation- stellar as usual. I think you’d love Gillian Welch’s songs and Dave Rawlings’ accompanying guitar work and harmonies. Great Americana!
First heard John on John Peel's 'Perfumed Garden'. Me and my friend Dennis Murphy. In darkest Greenford back in 1967. My parents went to San Francisco in 68 and came back with about 4 of his albums. Still in love with that Senorita guitar.
Thank You again Fil for introducing me to this fellow!!!!
What a player....
Love your videos here in Catasauqua PA USA !!!!!
Thanks Todd! ☺
He's very smooth and slick, so soothing on a Sunday arvo.
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Why do the really good musicians make it look so easy? Fil, I appreciate your ability to break down and explain the technical aspects of what the musician is doing to create each particular portion of their music. For someone like me, who would only make a great roadie, seeing the other side is fantastic!
You Rock! 🤘
Thanks!
I'm at the point of starting to play the guitar and I am feeling overwhelmed.
Paul Johnson They make it look easy because it is easy. To them! Many, many, many hours of practice. There is a video where John says that when he practices it is usually for 8 hours or more.
Such a wonderful piece of music, this guy is really amazing. It's hypnotic and pulls you in♡
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Greg Mardon
A melancholy genius.
@brad zybola with some Remy Martin VSOP
@John Leonard I'm a sucker for it
Thanks for taking such a good look at John Fahey's music, which really deserves more widespread recognition--it's so beautiful. If you ever want to do more shows about open tuning, I recommend some shows looking at Hawai'ian slack key style guitar. There are many great players--one was a colleague of Fahey, George Winston.
No problem!
Fahey's playing has had a profound influence on mine and my musical mind in general. I agree with other people who post that although he is revered in guitar circles he is relatively unknown and that is a shame. What a fantastic talent who played music from such a pure unadulterated, unspoiled place. He was effectively homeless and broke at one point and a re-release kind of saved his butt after that. A complicated human with massive music heart. Thanks for reviewing him Fil, your respect for him is evident.
What a master. He’s in his time all the time.
Oh yes! I love John fahey! I'm glad you played him. he's not really known too well. I'd say he's underrated lol
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His 1967 album 'Days Have Gone By' was his greatest album IMO.
'The Portland Cement Factory In Monolith California' is a great composition and the story behind it is quite interesting as well.
Get this album and listen to it from start to finish with headphones. A total masterpiece. The Bacon and Day guitar he had then had the rarest of tonal qualities.
Couldn't agree more about The Portland Cement Factory...one of fave compositions...phenomenal
Also think this! Every single song on there is incredible. The way the album flows was well crafted.
@@StellarFella funny...thats my favorite Fahey tune also...it really got me looking further into his work several decades ago...
A true inspiration. to any after him Leo Kottke.Robbie Basho,to contemporary players on You Tube.The first FIL. I heard him his playing immediately turned my ears,that led into Pentangle and recognized that was a wave of interest of guitarist seeking something other than blues players that were in the popular field on the American radio.Kudos to you for bringing to the forefront John Fahey to new audiences. Keep up the good work Fil.
This brings tears to my eyes ( that John passed and played so beautifully). By the way, the real title to this cut is "Poor boy long ways from home'. The boy is alone and a long way from home. Loneliness. John must have felt it at times.
You always bring us awesome content. It helps me forget about the trouble in the world and appreciate the beauty.
Thanks!
Love John Fahey. He's got this whole spooky vibe. There's a lot of good compilations of his work on Spotify, but I'd steer you towards his 1975 "Old Fashioned Love" album. It alternates between some beautiful weird eastern songs like this video, then veers into some full band dixie land jazz, and finished with some very bleak delta blues flavored work. It's just a bizarre album, but it works and has some of his best work on it. Check out song 2 on that album, "Java Shiva Shankarah" which has a beautiful open C tuned melodic guitar duet on it. The opening track "In a Persian market" is also a really odd but rewarding meander through 3-4 different styles (eastern->dixieland->spanish)
Thanks!
He was so good it actually brought tears to my eyes.
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Awesome breakdown, appreciate it! I love his songs ‘Sligo River Blues’ and ‘View from the east Trestle Bridge’.
The title is actually ‘View East from top of Riggs Road’. His songs ‘Dalhart Texas’ and ‘Sunflower River Blues’ are also killer. But thanks for the videos. I loved your breakdown of that Glenn Campbell ‘Gentle on my Mind’, one of my all time favorite videos.
I have listened to John Fahey since the late sixties🎸🎶‼️. He has always knocked me out. Loved your stellar (as usual) reaction🌟‼️ i always thought he was playing a 12 string before I could see it was a six. Thanks for checking him out.✌️🦋
I first discovered Fahey in the mid-sixties, and what with his work as a musicologist and a producer, I think he was one of the most important people in American music. Like a lot of other people I learned how to play by listening to his amazing records. And a word to aspiring students. If you think that playing with your fingers in syncopation with your thumb is easy, just try it. Thanks for the vid, Fil, as usual.
No problem!
Another incredible player!
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I started performing John's music when I was 19 and I'm still playing his stuff.I saw him at Stanford in 1973.
Great analysis! It's clear how much you appreciate Fahey and his more popular protege Leo Kottke. When Kottke and Fahey rose to popularity in the early 1970's many of their fans were listening to them under the influence of pot or LSD. Those drugs relaxed the listeners and helped them appreciate the subtleties you talk about. But some of us don't need drugs to listen that carefully! My own instrument is 5 string banjo, but my personal style was influenced by guitarists like Fahey and Kottke.
John Fahey!!! Now ive seen everything. I dont know if its you or a recommendation ,but how great to hear you talk about him. Home run fil.
As always another great artist and review. I find someone new all the time on your reviews.
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John Fahey was a genuine poet...love him...the springtime comes again is my favorite of his tunes
I think it is great you are showcasing all of these artists. There are so many. 👍👍
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Thank you for this video. John Fahey is so smooth
No problem!
Love your explanation of the different techniques of these excellent guitar players. Once these things are pointed out we can understand them and notice them in other players thus expanding our knowledge and awareness leading to better appreciation . Please excuse the long winded explanation!
Welcome to the club Sandra! /:-)
Thanks!
I discovered Fahey while listening to the " Kottke , Fahey , Lang " album . Several of his albums have travelled with me for the last forty plus years . I only managed to see him perform live once , but it was an amazing night for me . I saw him at a small club called the Hummingbird in Indianapolis . I bought him a beer and we chatted for a few minutes during his break . I wish I could remember what we talked about .
Excellent video. Fahey’s Christmas Album has been a family favorite for years.
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wow i cant believe ive never heard of this guy.. Thanks Fil for once again opening my eyes.
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All the way through the tune he also does very slight variations of the repeating melody lines. I didn't pick up on how advanced his playing is before I tried playing it myself. Great video! 😄
I have never heard of him. Really great music. He makes it look so dang easy!
Another nice video Fil!
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Thanks for this, brother. Bought Blind Joe Death in 1969. Still listen and am amazed. His Desperate Man Blues is so simple yet with an increasing intensity. Chills. Thanks Fil.
I could listen to acoustic guitar all day.
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Not if I was playing it.
@@briansbrain426 if you play all day today I'm sure you would be worth listening to all day tomorrow
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Im a twenty + years bass player,always trying to evolve as one..but Fahey is the one that actually convinced me to really learn the acoustic 6 strings guitar and to be very More interested by sound,technique,gear,players, history etc..thanks ï love this Channel.hugo from france
Thanks!
Very good detailed analysis . Thanks for posting video .
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Wow I love how the melody and tempo sort of meander on this song. That's so funny, at 8 minutes in, I went back to look at the name of the song and noticed the same thing. It really does sound like a journey. Did he write this song?
Renee Brutvan what composition was that?
It is his song, but if you go to the original video in the comments you can see people debating this! I think it's a very common progression that repeats in a few songs!
There are many blues songs with this name or very similar names like 'Poor Boy Long Ways From Home' making "way" the plural rather than "boy" by people like R.L. Burnside, Gus Canon, Barbeque Bob, Mississippi John Hurt and even Howlin Wolf = ruclips.net/video/FEyU2jyMpho/видео.html it seems to have been a popular theme in the blues.
thanks! That makes sense. Nostalgia, powerlessness & longing are the lettuce, tomato & mayo of a great blues sandwich.
I’ve always loved Johns playing.
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Relatively unknown great, but a HUGE influence on many performers. I suggested him and am very happy you found him and gave him a well deserved shout out.
No problem!
Now I have to go see if there are videos of the 'Blind Owl' out there. Such an interesting character taken way too soon.
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Loved Faheys music since first hearing him in the 1960s , my favourite guitarist .
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What a pleasure to listen to, thanks
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I saw him play several times in the late 70s early 80s, and he was amazing. And funny as hell between songs, he was similar to Kottke in that he kept us all entertained while he tuned and prepared for his next tune.
Some other fine acoustic players you could look into are Glenn Jones and Jack Rose..all aficionados of Fahey. Another excellent player is Daniel Bachmann. Fahey is an interesting writer as well and there is a book of his short stories. One of the stories is a true story that takes place in 1964 or 65. Fahey describes he was in a club to see electric Blues guitarist Henry Vestine play. This was before Vestine was in Canned Heat..but after the performance another guitarist..a young Black man..joined Fahey and Vestine at their table and introduced himself. It was Jimi Hendrix. Jimi had not yet been discovered and was playing in all manner of bands. Fahey yesrs later actually covered a Hendrix song..."May This Be Love" from "Are You Experienced?". Fahey also did a version of "Layla".
As it happens, Jimi was also roommates with John Hammond for a while. Apparently John tried to teach him acoustic finger-picking, but Jimi never got it.
@@danielschaeffer1294 Thats a very cool story and thanks for sharing. Did Hammond ever tell you how he had both Hendrix and Clapton in his band for about a week in NYC in 67 or 68? Can you imagine how that sounded?
Another great video. Having seen John back in the day I would suggest another video on his alternate tunings and capo work. Amazing stuff.
Cool!
I was lucky enough to see John Fahey at a free concert in Parliament Hill Fields in North London in 1969 with Procul Harum headlining and fell in love right there and then. He is mesmeric and absolutely fascinating as a player and a 'personality' and if you love Leo Kottke but want half the notes in better time JF is yer man....Hahahahaha (I jest of course - Kottke is a miraculous timekeeper but Fahey is like the reassuring tick of a beautiful grandfather clock)
This guy is a good picker,he had it going on big time,god bless.
Another great WoP breakdown with Fil. If I taught a music appreciation course, I'd just have the student watch WoP videos :)
Really rhythmical...a lot of great guitar work going on but so much ease in his sound and playing! Haven’t heard a lot of his music Fil...I think he’s brilliant, so relaxing!! Great analysis Fil!😁😁👌👌
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He lived out his life in Salem, Oregon because it was a railway center and he loved the sounds created by trains.
Faheys Album Railroad was my personal discovery and experience last year. When I started play more acoustic and my style changed, I was a bit shocked, it got a lil' kinda way of how he play it. And I love his play and how he used the slide, he is damn important as a musician and more people should know him🙂
Have always loved john Fahey's playing. He and Leo kottke have been my favorite guitar hero's for years now.
Great analysis and insight into what is going on with his playing.
You can hear a lot of Fahey's "Sunflower River Blues" in this song.
This song reminds me of a song I had on a sampler lp when I was a kid.
Tangerine Puppet by Donovan.
Thanks Fil, yes great relaxing song respektos to John Fahey.
No problem!
I love Donovan, I do have to say many of his guitar parts would sound monotonous without the lyrics though. He usually had great guitarists like Jimmy Page play the parts in the studio. Great lyricist.
Ever hear his stuff when the Jeff Beck group played with him? Great stuff
ruclips.net/video/bOniagjp7fo/видео.html
I liked T Rex, not their sugar pop and pseudo Metal stuff and they were never my favorite but they had some interesting rhythms and Marc was a better player than his recorded stuff would suggest. I saw them when they really were very good, almost Zeppelin calibre, and later, when he was in that leather phase, when I wondered what happened to them. Their albums seemed a lot more subdued than their live performances. They seemed to be badly managed or something, changed direction a lot and they tried to turn Marc into a teenie idol and pretty much succeeded until Rod Stewart turned that direction. T Rex never really took hold here in the states . Never really equated Donovan with Mark though, Donovan seemed more like a softer more Romantic Dylan type. Tyrannosaurus Rex was interesting too, a little weird but pretty interesting.
John lived in Salem Oregon where I live , Guitar Castle in downtown has a nice display of some memorabilia .
Cool!
Go and find the several different, excellent versions that Fahey does of this traditional song over the years, and you'll discover that he tried many varying approaches in his arrangements; he rarely played these songs the same way from one year to the next. There are indeed other, earlier versions of "Poor Boy" that I prefer, but I can appreciate what he is trying to do here, and also remember that he was having to play a lot of these same songs year in and year out, so he had to become inventive in terms of phrasing and tempo in order to himself keep interested in the repertoire, and to keep it interesting and indeed surprising for his audiences.
Bravo Fahey, you are one of my guitar Gods. Whenever I play this song for someone who has never heard me play before, I sure do get a reaction! :)
On another note, go listen to "Prodigal Son" by the Rolling Stones. Notice anything familiar? It's the same song... :)
Combined old-time American folk, Indian-flavored microtones, and classical elements. Absolutely unique and deeply weird.
Good show Fil yes l like what your teaching about dynamics and tempo around feel. Yeah Jhon plays great.thank you
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Actually never heard of him..thanks for the introduction to this guy..his picking style with the base line reminds me a lot of Lindsey Buckinghams style as well on acoustic..
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Fahey was way deeper
These are great videos .
Thanks!
Like you said Fil...flawless!👍😎🎸🎶
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Great choice and once again a true gem. Wish I could play half that well. Haha. Thanks Fil.
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I saw him play in a club in Chicago late in his life around 1997 with another avant- garde player named Jim O’Rourke, who championed him to a whole new indie rock audience. O’Rouke played a couple of droning, looping extended pieces from his records of the time and then played a bit with Fahey when he came on, the whole time lit by only a couple small lights. One of the most memorable concerts of my life.
I have been listening to ‘On the Sunny Side of the Ocean’ from the same show every few months for the last, oh, 5 years or so. I think it’s even more amazing than this. :)
ruclips.net/video/qYDrkG2EGwg/видео.html