5/25/1994 John Hartford, Rockin' Horse Saloon, Scottsdale, AZ


 27 years ago today...

May 25, 1994 - Scottsdale, AZ 

Combining American folk, Bluegrass and country, John Hartford played a solo club show at the Rockin' Horse Saloon in Old Town.
Hartford is best known for his television appearances on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Glen Campbell's Goodtime Hour. He is the author of "Gentle On My Mind," Campbell's biggest hit and one of BMI's Top 100 Songs of the Century. His early albums are credited with helping launch the "Newgrass" musical genre.
John performed solo in this small nightclub. He had three microphones; one for vocals, one for his guitar/banjo/fiddle and one for "plywood," his homemade platform for clogging while playing. At one point during the show, he instructed the audio tech working the soundboard that he needed "more plywood."
Before the show, John and his wife manned a merchandise table and he signed a photo that my college newspaper shot 15 years earlier. His elegant calligraphy-style autograph is one of the prettiest in my collection.
I'm glad he signed it before the show started. He was funny and personable during the intimate concert. The mood changed though for his final number. He encouraged the laid back audience to clog along with him for the last song of the night. While John was dancing away, very few in the crowd joined him in clogging. That seemed to upset him and he left the stage in a huff.
I like and laugh at the novelty tune that he sings with the Dillards (aka "The Darlings" from the Andy Griffith Show), "Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown." It's worth a listen at the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKIfMOvKC8s



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