Steve Goodman & Jethro Burns - The City of New Orleans

[GoodWiganMusic]

Mando tabs?

[sheilap08]

One of the best nights at the Birchmere was a "mandolin night"...there was a stage full of them, including Jethro Burns. Turns out he was Steve Goodman's father-in-law. Also, he and Chet Atkins were married to twin sisters. Jethro had recently discovered the comraderie of bluegrass festivals, and he would show up at festivals and att the Birchmere to pick! Anyway, both the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene did excellent renditions of "City of New Orleans".

[RossieMcneil067]

The best version of this song that I found was on mp3ify.com and you can download the mp3 or import it into itunes.

[catman306]

Jethro's solo is fast enough for the new Chinese bullet train. Simply amazing!

[blademon7]

I have heard that Steve had a difficult time convincing Arlo of the merits and commercial value of this song. ROFLMFAO . Steve wrote and played more songs in his short life than many of us could in 10 lifetimes.Amazing talent.

[rdvqc]

You want to hear the story of how Arlo got this song - look for it. Arlo has told it many times. Ends in "the best beer I ever had"

So many fine fine artists that left us too soon. The must be a great jam going somewhere.

BTW - Jethro is actually Kenneth C. Burns who teamed up with Henry D. Haynes to form the group Homer and Jethro. They mostly were know for their parodies of country and pop hits. A fine picker.

I miss 'em all!

[deewkay1]

when i listen to Steve it makes me cry. We lost such a great songwriter... See ya on the next plane... at least I hope so.... you and Jethro..

Not many people know this but Steve was discovered before John Prine but he couldn't let his success happen without making sure his brother John was there to share his success. that is what brothers do... love ya Steve....

[mjmjmh6]

The only version of this song I like is the one by Steve Goodman, the composer. People who grew up with the Midnight Special all knew/know Steve Goodman's great music.

[charleskentigern]

Like so many others I thought this was an Arlo Guthrie song, I made the mistake of giving the credit to Arlo Guthrie on my You tube cover,however ,within 5 hours of making this blunder I had both Sony and Clay Eals on my case putting me right,I checked my video,that I learnt it off ;and hey it was Steve Goodman's BBC recording,not Arlo Guthries, I now know I prefer Steve's version,my comment on my cover is still the same "the love of this song is the only reason I need to play it"

[deewkay1]

Steve and Jethro. this is one of the best duo's ever made... and it is such a thrill to see Steve's smile again. His smile warms my heart. he was such a talent and his is missed.

[Jangle2007]

Say what you will about other performers cover of this song, Steve's versions have always been the best.

[skakid114]

R.I.P. Steve. Chicago loves you

[TheJannance]

I usually don't listen to any music except Irish or Scottish Folk music, but the first time I heard Steve sing I fell in love with his voice!!!!!!, and the I found out thar he had died in 1984, and my heart was broken..... Jan from Georgia

[timzski]

Interesting comment by the uploader. Steve actually wrote this song, and won a Grammy for after he died for Willie Nelson's version. Being a born and bred Chicagoan, I disagree that Arlo made this famous...

[1SomaCruz]

@timzski Hehe, ok. I just wrote what I've read and heard over the years. It may be that Arlo's version is the most famous by know, and some journalists and authors may have been wrong, but what do I know...

[MrOpenD]

@timzski That's kind of a silly comment. Goodman was little known outside Chicago and hardcore folk circles before Arlo Guthrie had his hit in 1972 with "City of New Orleans." It was the royalties from this recording that finally allowed Goodman to become a full time musician. Later there were dozens of other covers of the song, but Arlo's record is what brought the song to the fore.

[timzski]

@MrOpenD well, Arlo wasn't huge either. it might be a silly comment to you, that's your opinion. Nice pull from wikipedia on the money thing, btw. But he was pretty much a full-time musician all along, just a struggling one. But the Chicago and "hardcore folk circles" are what bought his music. Fame is relative, and a lot of performers from the Chicago scene were pretty famous in Chicago, and that is enough for some people.

[MrOpenD]

@timzski It's a fact that Guthrie hit Billboard's Top 20 in 1972 with "City of New Orleans," and it is still paying royalties to the Goodman estate, since it still gets played frequently on the radio and in documentary videos about the 70s. He also still plays it in concert. Willie Nelson also had a hit with the song in 1983. It's not a put-down of Goodman to say he wasn't able to "quit his day job" until Guthrie made a hit of it, nor to state the obvious, that the public thinks Arlo wrote it.

[diamondrhyme]

@timzski arlo guthrie absolutely made the song famous

[ledder68]

@timzski I love Steve's version, and Willie's version, but if you're an Arlo fan, well, you're an Arlo fan, so for years I thought, incorrectly like many others did, that Arlo had written it. I just can't decide which is my favorite, Arlo's interpretation, or this version with Steve and Jethro.

[coleyman1]

@timzski I think Guthrie brought the song to light. I'm not sure it would have ever gained the fame it did with someone as obscure as Steve Goodman was back then if he had done it himself. Great songs sometimes never get heard unless someone great does them. I think that was the case with this song. Same goes with "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford. It just needed Glenn Campbell to show everyone what a great song it was. Happens that was a lot in this town..

[VideoRanger]

Magic.

[louswire]

I went to a concert 20+ yrs ago I forget the headliner, but Steve Goodman was the warmup act... and had that audience in the palm of his hand by the third song...

[AloofMedia]

I saw Steve Goodman open for Steve Martin (believe it or not) in Houston, Texas.

[TuboEspectador]

"Sons of engineers ride their fathers' magic carpet made of steel!"

That lyric always thrills me. It means WE BUILT the USA.

Now what do we do?

[gargran]

Go Saints!

[annboosal]

Gone way too soon. Miss you, Steve!

[velour51]

Rest in peace, Steve and thanks for all the great songs.

[thompsonlake]

wow

[bondman1066]

Thanks.

[coyotedrunkoncognac]

if there is a heaven

i know writing this song

earned mr goodman a ticket in

(and jethro's place there

is 'comped' but everbuddy 'greed to that allready)

[THOLT1959]

@coyotedrunkoncognac There is definitely a Heaven and I hope both of these wonderful performers made it in. But it is only by the blood of Christ that we are accepted into that kingdom.

[mrsuavelukez12]

thanks a bunch for this!