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Song for John Herald

from Keeper Of The Light by peter zeldow

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about

It's not a good sign when a song needs explanation or annotation. Nonetheless, John Herald (1939-2005) was a New York, NY born bluegrass musician who had some success in the 60s as a member of the Greenbriar Boys ("Roll on John," " At the End of a Long, Lonely Day") and as a second guitarist on Vanguard recordings by Doc Watson, Ian and Sylvia and Joan Baez. He lived in Woodstock, NY, was a friend of Bob Dylan, introduced Michael Nesmith's "Different Drum" to Linda Ronstadt and "Stewball" to Peter, Paul and Mary. He spent much of his adult life in poverty and suffering from depression. He took his life on July 18, 2005. I read the NY Times obituary a few days later and wrote this song.

lyrics

Bad day for music in the Times, Bluegrass boy has taken leave
Lives built on rhythm and on rhyme don't always turn out as dreamed
He suffered the sweet plague of love I'm told
Fragile misfortunes of fame
Remainders of records all unsold
The end of a long, lonely day

Well Stewball was a racehorse, he played crowded fairgrounds
While you were performing downstage
Searching for something sincerely profound
Footnote on someone's back page
Noone deserves that back page

Can't explain this feeling in my heart, Can't find the passion to engage
Something to do with love and art
Something about memory and age

Well Stewball was a racehorse, he played crowded fairgrounds
While you were performing second stage
Searching for something sincerely profound
Footnote on someone's back page
You didn't deserve that back page

Nothing to do but move on, No need to pause and reflect
Whenever you hear "Roll on John"
Think of your friend and connect

Well Stewball was a racehorse, he played crowded fairgrounds
While you were performing downstage
Searching for something sincerely profound
Footnote on Dylan's back page
Noone deserves that back page

The end of a long lonely day
The end of a long lonely day

credits

from Keeper Of The Light, released June 10, 2019
My guitar parts were recorded by Steve Dawson in 2007 or 2008 when I first recorded the song. I was always dissatisfied with my original vocals. So Rob Arendt recorded new vocals in 2019 and plays bass.

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peter zeldow Chicago, Illinois

Songs that hover around folk, rock & country genres with a mostly gentle, acoustic guitar-based mid-60s sound. The themes are universal: love (Jerome, You Are True), loss (Go), desire (Hunger), memory (It All Comes Back), aging (Golden Years), empathy (Kindness), & gratitude (Grateful). The delivery is understated, but the storytelling packs an emotional wallop that rewards careful listening. ... more

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