Late Winter, Early Spring - Tribute to John Denver

[yellowlion1960]

i was in tears when you played that both feelings of sadness and happiness as well you did that peace of music with true justice in tribute to john Denver his memory for country folk music will live on and may god bless you!

[Defmusicman1]

Not bad at all! I enjoyed it.

[zingarella20]

I love you too ... I know you know ...

[harrynicholas]

Thanks for another step along the way to being able to play this myself, lovely rendition. Nice to see you struggled - never let on.

[harrynicholas]

Thanks for another step along the way to being able to play this myself, lovely rendition.

[cryrocker]

OMG if it is okay with my wife "will you marry me?" just kidding ! You R O C K

this is a beautiful piece and I have always loved it. John was poised for his second career and I really think it was taken from him . (I am not judging God or anything but I just thought he would get his second time around like a lot of the greats) please keep up the good work !

[jfleminator]

very nice

[DigiDewd]

love it love it love it! again!

[santamara]

Love you still......amazing!

Thank you!

[Artisticer]

Very good ~ lovely!

[sbbinahee]

Wow nice job and obviously a labour of love for you......! I have the fingerpicking chords sorted but i want to learn this part. beautiful...........A track that always make the hairs on the back of my nect stand on end!

[fifteenthfret]

@sbbinahee How kind of you to take the time to write. Thank you

[stringzzzz1]

@fifteenthfret

I thought you did great also. I already commented on this thread in reference to you but sbbinhee received a response from me that was meant for you.

I some how feel a connection to anyone who's taken to time time learn this number and frankly, I was surprised and overjoyed to see that there's a utube gathering over one of the most tenderest pieces of music I know of.

Thank you for sharing your work with us and know that you have a new utube friend in California.

[fifteenthfret]

@stringzzzz1

I'm sorry it took this long to thank you for your kindest of words...

[stringzzzz1]

@sbbinahee I've been noodling with this piece for years and years now... There are some subtleties that are very hard to master. Especially the finger picking support provided by Denver's musicians who were no slowches by any means. I love playing a solo along with this number just to improvise on the theme... This piece, absolutely beautiful. As years passed, I've moved on to jazz guitar work but this one always seems to bring me back to earth.

You sound great. Enjoy your passion.

[Artisticer]

Very good!

[scrappydude1]

Very nice! I had 4 chances to see John live and it was great. His music touched something in us like few have ever been able to do. Your guitar work is great, keep it up! You should do a reverse karoke, play the vocal tracs and you do the giutar! Post it here if you do.

[DigiDewd]

great vid, great tune. defo 5 *

[fifteenthfret]

Thank you for your kind stars, Digi.

[billyva45]

talented!! very good!!

[santamara]

Such a beautiful version!

I love it!

Thank you!

[ecocanyon]

This is my favorite song. It makes me return to the early days of Aspen when I knew John and Annie.....

[Mulsanneandkink917]

My nephew (8) recently took up guitar himself and has started taking lessons.

So, wanting to support him, I broke out my own steel string once again....

"Rough" would be a good description of it.

Won't tell him, but I can't remember much of anything, let alone the intricacies of playing any portion of THIS particular tune.

If I stick with it, I hope I can recapture it (or some portion of it), but in the meantime, I just want to say again how much I admire your playing here, 15thFrt.

[santamara]

Just a beautiful version.

Thanks again for posting!

[4Lynardskynard]

Way to go Girl.

[wyllielass]

Now that takes me back. I tried to teach myself this piece when I was in college (which was a long time ago when the song was new) and never succeeded. Well done.

[markgalloway]

Nice job on this beautiful tune. *****

I recently did a version of this by request. Such a pretty song.

[santamara]

I always wondered if you came to hear this version Mark! I tried to share this, many times! More than half my shares, Never Open:( Waste of my time too:)

So glad you did hear this by, how ever!

It is an amazing song, No Doubt!

Just thrilled that you heard this!

[whttiger4u]

OMG!! what a beautiful job you did fret... i loved hearing this!

[santamara]

So beautiful! OMG!

Thank you!

[santamara]

Can't stop coming back for a re-listen!

So nice!

Thanks again!

[SNAXDUO]

beautiful

[santamara]

This is beautiful! Truly magical! Great job!

Thank you for posting!

[mulsanne917]

Is there a mandolin in here too? I'm realizing (I knew this before I'm sure, but I suppose I forgot), that there is a third instrument in there. If not more.

Correct me if I'm crazy....

[ricblegg]

To Mulsanne917,

I remember that album quite well, and if I recall correctly, Mike Taylor plays the lead on this song.  John Denver, Mike Taylor, and Dick Kniss were the co-writers.

I hope that helps out.

ricblegg

[straightandkink917]

Yes, it does help, and thanks.

Pretty much what I remember too.

I'm still confused, as to the possibility of the mandolin. I'm still not sure there isn't a third instrument in there somewhere too.

[straightandkink917]

"fifteenthfret" seems to play more of the chord lines, whereas I, myself, played more of the lead threads (back in the day when I took a crack at it myself anyway).

I do remember I tried to play within just one or two "positions" (can't remember with what level of success or not--it's been fifteen years or more at least--except that I DO remember I enjoyed trying my hand at it back then.

Mike Taylor, for his part, can certainly sleep easily at night I'm sure--he's under no threat from me! :D

[tswiii]

Beautiful. Thank you. I love this song so I googled it and your video came up. Brings back some pretty wonderful memories. Thank you for this lovely rendition!! :o)

[mightytalon28]

I played this song with my brother in 1978. It took a long time to learn because we had to keep lifting the needle on the record player ( do you know what a record player is?) any way very well done. the accompaniest did a great job and your lead was amazing. thanx for the flashback, Talon

[amazongift]

wonderful thanks...Mel

[ecocanyon]

I love your style. Beautiful.

[sheldoncowpath]

Lovely. Thank you. Mike is my great friend and has been since Aspen 1971. He still plays his proverbial ass off.

[fifteenthfret]

I am truly blushing...in my wildest dreams, I never thought someone even remotely connected to Mike would see this. Please do not point him here. I am still working on a proverbial azz.....thank you so much for your comment.

[sheldoncowpath]

Sorry.. too late. I already told Mike about it and he indicated he would like to hear it so.... Ironically I have the guitar Late Winter Early Spring was recorded with in my shop for a rehab. It is a Guild (you probably already know this) and is a magfificent instrument still after all these years. You keep up the good work. As I said, it was truly lovely. Take care.

[fifteenthfret]

Gulp.

I'm a good rhythm player, but that's about it. I'll be off in a corner somewhere swallowing very hard.

[mulsanne917]

The way I see it (as a third party), none of you should be embarrassed in the least.

Inspiring, really.

[Mulsanne917andkink]

@fifteenthfret

:D sometimes you find out things work out for the better.

Be proud of your guitar work, 15th!

[mulsanne917]

Can you tell me, then, if I am right? Is it, in fact Mike Taylor who is playing the six string (?) out front (with JD in the backround playing rhythm guitar) as heard on the LP album "Rocky Mountain High?"

I would appreciate any TRUE answer you can give--I would like get it straight inside my own head "who's who,"(who was who)...and who really played what instrument.

In any case, please pass along (to Mike) a much belated "tip of the hat" for "Late Winter, Early Spring."

Real Magic.

[KSUguy1]

Love this song, first song I ever tried to play (Johns part, not lead) and its still one of my favorites. I have the sheet music for it, just need to figure out the lead part. Well done.

[drossarndt]

SO HAPPY someone finally did this. Sweet job, my friend! Did you work it out yourself or did you have tab to reference?

[GR8XKP]

Oh man, keep at it and smooth it out, you sound great...thats one of my favorite songs to play ( I play the background chording) and have always looked for someone to play the lead...you sounded great..stay with it

[cutit912]

WOW...how beautiful..it's so complicated to play, yet simply watch her fingers,and just listen, and fall in love with the sound... thank you 15thfret..you made my day..

[Jameswilliam1982]

very good :)

[mulsanne917]

Yes, good stuff. I've played it myself on a six-string, and it's not easy.

FWIW, I have the idea John himself played the twelve string background chords, while Mike Taylor played the six-string out front (what you are playing here).

On the LP, on the very last bit of the track we here Taylor saying: "There were...there were some good things in there...."

[pickerman4]

Wonderful job! I know how to play the part John played, but never had the confidence to figure Mike's part. Great stuff, love it!!!

[myspacedropout]

I think you do amazingly well!! That is not a easy song to play, I must say it is one of my most favorite songs John Denver has done! Thank you for playing it.