SWEET RELIEF TRIBUTE TO
RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT
January 28th, 2024
Howdy Pardners!
Whoa! The excitement was high in the lobby of the Masonic San Francisco Sunday night for the Sweet Relief: A Tribute to Ramblin' Jack Elliot concert! I'd been eagerly awaiting this concert since its announcement, for a number of reasons, not the least being it fell on my birthday. I mentioned the lobby because everyone was jammed around a few big screen TVs watching the 49ers win their playoff game. Priorities, I suppose. SF won, so the show then could go on!
Much to my delight, our first performer of the evening was a woman whom I believe will end up being the "matriarch" of folk music in the future, my friend Sarah Lee Guthrie. After some kind works about Jack and touring with him, Sarah Lee opened the show with one of her granddaddy Woody Guthrie's tunes, "Hard Travelin". Then she introduced Melissa Carper. I'd not heard of her, but she was awesome. The two duet-ed on Melissa's tune "Ramblin' Soul", while she rocked the upright bass.
Next up was Mike Beck, a fellow I'm not familiar with, but he performed a tune I'd recently fell in love with of Jack's called "South Coast" – whew!
Not many folks know that John Oates (yes, that John Oates of Hall & Oates fame) in the recent past released a very folky/bluesy album, so what a pleasure to see him show up to pay tribute to Jack! John performed a great rendition of Furry Lewis's "Falling Down Blues". Very nice indeed.
Then we heard from Corb Lund, with a fantastic tune of his called "The Truck Got Stuck", with lyrics:
The Chev got stuck and the Ford got stuck
But the Chev unstuck when the Dodge showed up
But the Dodge got stuck in the tractor rut,
Which eventually pulled out the Ford...
– lol, wonderful.
Peter Rowan. I'd become familiar with Peter about 25 years ago when we booked his brother at our venue in Florida. I've become a great fan of the Rowan Brothers, so what a treat to finally get to see Peter! He took the stage singing Jimmie Rogers' "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel #8)”, and claimed to have just discovered how to yodel! Next he welcomed back Sarah Lee to join him in a beautiful version of "The Cuckoo" (traditional).
In 1973 the world fell in love with a woman the folk scene had already loved for a decade, Maria Muldaur! I was right on board. So, I'm overjoyed to have seen Maria twice this past year! Earlier she did a few numbers at Wavy Gravy's birthday, and tonight she performed a few for Jack. Starting with Dylan's "I'll be Your Baby Tonight", and Blind Willie Johnson's "Soul Of A Man". Excellent choices!
That last tune started to gnaw at my emotions. But I was dumbfounded to find myself crying when Dave Alvin took the stage and started in on the powerful "King Of California". I didn't know much about Dave or this tune, but now it is a favorite. What a presence Dave has on stage, and the crowd loved him. Next, he covered Tim Hardin's "If I were a Carpenter".
One of the main reasons I wanted to attend this amazing event was to see the irrepressibly wonderful Victoria Williams, who took the stage next. As of this writing, 23 years ago tomorrow will be the anniversary of Ms. Williams along with The original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers performed at the Florida folk venue my wife and I owned - Kool Beanz. It is also the 30th Anniversary of the album Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams. A record of top musicians of the era covering her songs, designed to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis, and to raise funds for Victoria after she had been recently diagnosed with MS.
Victoria started into her "Opelousas" (with the refrain, “Sweet Relief” of course becoming the title of the LP). I've heard a number of versions of her song by her and others, but tonight had a real magical vibe! I did get to visit with her for 15 minutes after the show. It made my day. Love ya Vic!
Also at the Wavy Gravy party was Steve Earle, Steve showed up for Jack as well. He broke out one of the few songs Jack actually wrote (you see, Ramblin' Jack tends to wonderfully turn other's tunes into his own!) "912 Greens". We'll hear more from Steve soon in the program. Lubbock, Texas' Andy Hedges was up next, absolutely killing it on Dylan's "Diamond Joe"!
Another big reason for attending this tribute was because I saw Rickie Lee Jones on the bill. My dad so loved Rickie Lee (coincidentally the year before she debuted, he had a look alike girlfriend!). Her first release "Chuck E's in Love" did not do much for me when it came out. I did not see what he and others saw. This was not just another pop song, it had a jazz tinge to it, with Ms. Jones' beat poet like delivery. When I did finally get it, I was all in with Rickie!
Sarah Lee introduced Rickie Lee, and she opens with "I bet you never thought you'd hear me sing this song:...'I was busted flat in Baton rouge'..." whew! A truly funky version of Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee", funky with a funky dance! Lovley! Even lovelier was her follow-up covering the traditional "I Ride An Old Paint". I learned of this tune from the Linda Ronstadt version, so nice to hear Rickie cover it just as beautifully.
For some reason, all my favorite songs were being played tonight!! Birthday Karma?
Joe Henry then takes the stage covering Woody's "1913 Massacre", yeah there was no holding back the tears tonight. Much of the audience seemed to be quite emotional as well.
I honestly have not known much at all about Nathaniel Rateliff. I recognized his name and voice, but was not prepared to the amazing take on Hoyt Axton's "Gypsy Moth". One of those old gems that was so far back in my musical memory. What a joy to hear. "like I said it's an honor to be here, um, man I don't normally get nervous, but MAN that song was tough to learn! BTW, this is Luke Mossman who plays guitar with me in the Night Sweats. I started to figure out the cadence of that song, but I'd be damned if I could do the guitar part, and sing it at the same time!" Then the two broke into their own tune "And It's Still Alright".
10 years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the Jackie Greene open for Govt Mule. What a talented performer! Tonight, he covered the traditional song "Old Blue". I will definitely learn more about him.
Jackson Browne took the stage next (strumming familiar chords) taking me all the way straight back to Halloween, Miami 1976, and the Jackson/Orleans/Pablo Cruise concert. "Here's a song that Jack recorded, it's a Gary Davis song...back then if you wanted to hang around the guitar stores everyone hung around, you had to be able to play this song (violin kicks in). It was years before I knew what this song was about. If I wanna sing it now, I have to sing the rehab version!" "Cocaine" (runnin' all 'round brain) with some new lyrics, and a lil help from Steve Earle because he knew the "unrepentant verses"! Jackson then played a very moving "Far From The Arms of Hunger". He is one of the most powerful songwriters of our generation for sure.
On the bill it said Special Guests. As if the previous list was not special enough, out walks Bob Weir! The crowd start howling and yelling "wolf!" He takes the stage tinkering with equipment "I didn't get to the soundcheck today, because I was at a BALL GAME!" The guy next to me knows I'm a Dolphin fan, and shouts out "GO Niners! Right?! C'mon" - lol. Right.
I instantly know the tune. Bobby then says, "I'm gonna try something new, I'm gonna try, like our friend Steve Earle did (but I've never done this before), I gonna try to tell a story...and play guitar at the same time"...and he gives this great lead in to "When I Paint My Masterpiece". Man, I told you they were all my favorite tunes tonight! My fave Bobby vocal!
Then Mr. Weir welcomed Joan Baez on stage to join him in Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain".
Joan took center stage. Talking about Jack and Dylan, she joyously covered Bob's "Don't Think Twice, it's Alright", and followed it with a song she wrote (one of a very few), that I'd never heard of. "Coconuts" hmmm...interesting dittie:
Coconuts sitting in my hand
Remindin' me of my island man
And my island man sitting in his hut
Dreamin' about my coconuts.
Well then! So much fun. So great to finally see Joan, I had tickets to see her a while back but her mom (Joan Sr.) fell ill, and so she had to cancel the gig. [hmmm, so?]
Side note: I had written to Joan requesting a pair of autographs, one to auction for charity, the other to hang in our venue. Her mom answered my request with photos and a beautiful hand written letter apologizing for her handling the correspondence and not Joan personally. So I wrote her back saying no need for apologies, we were thrilled! "But, oh, btw...I remember you are Mimi Farina's mom too...I would love to have a photo to hang next to Joan's!" She explained that she was very sorry, she did not even have her own Mimi autograph! Then she added Mimi's address, and said "if you do reach out, ask her to send her mom one too!!" How sweet. Enough about me, now where was I?
Now we are nearing the show's finales. Ramblin' Jack Elliott takes the stage to a massive standing ovation, of course! There he was, at 94 hunched over a bit, greeting all his friends and hugging all the gals on stage left.
The legend sat down and kicked into his signature tune "San Francisco Bay Blues" – goosebumps time!! Git it you ol' cowboy!! Wow. Next off Peter Rowan equipped with mandolin kicks off "Rolling in My Sweet Baby's Arms" with Victoria. Then Jack took a verse, and all joined in. Truly amazing.
I grew up listening to live folk music concerts like this on record, what an honor to be there on this night, for this this new California transplant!
The next day, I decided I should call Jack himself – I've had his number from a mutual friend. He answered!
"Hello, hello? I was sent by our mutual friend "Florida Pete" Gallagher. How are you? I was at the big concert Sunday night; it was my birthday. I wondered if I might get a few words from you about the event?" I spewed forth. There was a long pause.
Jack said, "It was the best show ever". Then a very long pause. "It was really the best show ever. There were so many friends! It took me 15 minutes to recognize them all! So many friends. I saw my old friend Jackson Browne, I didn't recognize him. He had a beard; I asked his name. Oh I told him I used to have an old friend also named Jackson Browne, but he didn't have a beard. Later I called him to apologize forgetting him, he said there were 'no worries, Jack'".
Mr. Elliott (92) then mentioned "it's been a fantastic week", although he was sad that he started losing his voice last week, especially since he has a gig tomorrow! So I said maybe we should cut this short, to save his voice, he agreed, but we both rambled a few minutes more...I then asked if we could have a proper interview soon, he agreed and wished me happy birthday!
for Dad.
Java John Goldacker
