John Hartford - Learning To Smile -03 Gentle On My Mind + Way Down The River Road

[Searching4why]

Simply great!

[anisahoni]

My great honor to meet him in the late 70d and be invited to come jam with him floatin' down the Illinois River. One of the big regrets of my life not to be able to go. So sorry you're not on this plane of existence with us any longer, John. But I'll meet you on the other side some day. There must be jam sessions in Heaven and you'll be leading one.

[breathlessbandmusic]

i can see why thus is called learning to smile :)

[PaPaHoss]

Classic ambassadorial representation of Americana; John Hartford is a solidly cemented American Classic Treasure.

[johnny4smith]

This is great! Jamie Hartford and Bela Fleck do a really nice version as well.

[batsy99]

Outstanding!

[BarerMender]

Wonderful. I love John Harford. Is there any chance you could post him singing Natchez Whistle?

[johnny85er]

@BarerMender I wish I owned such a video. I've never seen one, if you find one, let me know ;)

[BarerMender]

@johnny85er I wouldn't even know where to look. But if I do...

[gangelone999]

Amazing!

[fastrnb]

Standard G tuning?

[vasdenfoot]

@fastrnb nope, low E (g fingerings, just a lot lower)

[fastrnb]

@vasdenfoot

danke!

[BANJBOB1]

Takes alot to hold a crowd on your own,if you saw him in the flesh i think it would be mind blowing,even my missus admitted she couldn't multi task like this.

[houdeanis]

that's some sick banjo playing!

[pamelasu65]

I LOVE THIS MAN ! ! ! Love how he makes the percussion with his feet !

[tonijeanapple]

Celebrate the singer / song writers of this world!!!!!

[potentialavalanche]

Glen Campbell's recording of this song is great, but even more wonderful is John being able to write such a wonderful song. Knowing that, I'd prefer to hear John sing it any day.

[cpr58]

it would be great if this would come out in DVD.

[miscdazc1118]

He deff loves himself this guy prancing around

haaaa!

[ScroteMonster]

@miscdazc1118 yeah i hope you get cancer of the head

[theodorehui]

0:38 i laughed

compared to the superb intro.... what the hell is he playing LOL

[nightfrailer]

Oh man the feet!!!! I could literally start trying to do that today and never learn it when the sun caves in. Hell, I can barely get one to tap at a time. So great, thanks for putting this on.

[kerouac9991]

he makes it look so easy. His sense of rhythm is ridiculous

[tkfunderburk]

beautiful.



[Jrusco8]

I knew that was his song but i have never seen anyone do the percussion with the shoes.....wow that was amazing

[sgtstardust]

I wonder if my guitar collecton would mind a banjo in the group.... John is so damn good it makes me want to give it a shot...

[robinpayne]

on facebook he has a fan page....i joined so i could keep up with some of his concerts...maybe you could run in to somebody who could help you with acquiring this video....it would be nice to have one on a dvd

[themasternazgul]

Could you please let me know the title of this old video? I would love to hunt it up on Ebay, etc. My dad would probably die from happiness if I could get this for Fathers Day! lol

[rpashoukos]

that's some fine pickin

[drdampier]

Thanks for uploading this, Johnny. I worked with John a few times in the late 1980's; all his rebel was out of him by then and he was a wonderful and kind gentleman.

[ibaconi]

The reason I picked up my Deerings.. The reason I picked up bluegrass..

[GedankenBlitz]

Does anybody know which tuning this is in?

[SongsOfLife1]

WOW

[sharpsound2011]

I met John at Merlefest, damn fine man. I watched him on Glen Campbell when I was a kid. What a genuis! I have to rate him a 10.5, whatever's highest!

[Kottesque]

Genius..........Just Pure Genius

[clubflush791]

WOW !! This is a wonderful find. Was this a broadcast, a TV special a video? Whatever it is, thank you for posting and sharing it with the world. John was a unique talent with extraordinary gifts. He's greatly missed.

Joe T

[gwennypent]

Thank you! He is missed, but alive in my heart. This was incredible!

[Greg1958100]

I knew Mr Hartford. He really knew his music.

[699backstab]

He's the real thing. Its talent and entertainment like cannot be found easily in this world. What a pleasure to listen and watch. What a privilege.

[gray6758]

Question: Who would win in a fight between Hartford and God?

Answer: Trick question, Hartford is God!

[yonderboogey]

this video actully just BLEW my mind.... THANK YOU john..

[yuritim]

He is truly amazing and an incredible talent, so effortlessly performing.

Sorry he passed on.

[ArmyRob13]

Does anyone else think this guy is incredibly creepy looking?

[yonderboogey]

haha no, its john hartford!

[theothernickc]

art!

[Zindar57]

Apparently none of you actually met the man. Granted, he's a fine musician. He wasn't a very nice person - or at least... he and I didn't get along with one another. Did sound for him on numerous occasions and that doesn't look like the 4X8 sheet of AC plywood specified in his riders.

[cactuscrust]

@Zindar57

dude... the guy's been dead almost a decade, move on already. also, I'm not surprised he didn't like you.. that's the normal relationship between musicians and sound people, and it's usually because the sound guy is a pompous ass. something about the job attracts that kind of person, I'm convinced. I'm not saying you personally are an asshole... but shitting all over a beloved entertainer who has long since passed away sure doesn't help your case.

[deweypug]

@cactuscrust Yup, you seem to have had the same experience with sound support people as myself - it is amazingly uncanny with which the frequency that they appear to be pompous pieces of crap...

[gray6758]

@Zindar57 You should feel lucky that you were fortunate enough to meet the man! I doubt if you and I would get along with one another either...

[TorontoEd7]

What an entertainer.  I miss him so much!

[kjsh987]

R.I.P from Argentina

[ballbreaker07]

For the record, thats not tap dancing, but a percussion instrument!

[ericedy]

This is so neat....I love it.

[Mud0Thump]

The tap dancing just shows the kind of John Hartford really has

[ArmyRob13]

@Mud0Thump ????

[perfectsleeper]

What a great banjo player, singer and song writer he was! One of best and likeable musicians ever. The world miss you John!

[banjobubby]

nine years dead on friday according too a forum on BHO

[sidensvans67]

Excellent..

[ScroteMonster]

whats the second song?

[johnny85er]

@ScroteMonster OOPS, it was only supposed to be one song..

my mistake :)

Way Down The River Road: As titled on the screen

[bbbartolo]

wow, is this fun, or what?

[caravaneriam]

He is brilliant.Wish i could but i can't.

[GourmetDad]

, , , I was lucky enough to have seen John several times. Ffirst at the "Meet Michigan Theatre" in Ann Arbor, and once with Leon Russel at a festival in Ohio where he signed a half dozen of his Lp's for me.  What a loss.

[yfadada]

I miss him so much

[perfectsleeper]

Yeah...., me too!!

[jerry854]

My tear falls on the grave of a great musician and River Boat Captain...from a forerver fan....yes, tears of joy have stained my face,,,,thanks for being gentle on my mind,,,,

[pinktink4151]

i like his hat

[mastershake67526]

John is a beautiful man and musician

[alain451]

Bravo Monsieur,

Superbe version .. très joli le banjo et le jeu de claquettes..

sincères félicitations.

Merci au post

[waldonemanband]

I left my records in the sun. Thanks John

[macditty]

you should have took johns advice lol. now they are warped and they wont be good to anyone.

if john hartford actually wrote that song from a real experience.... could you imagine the bad ass record collection he melted?

[waldonemanband]

@macditty You see, I met john at a festival and this was even before I became a big fan. I told him how I had bought his Areoplane (SP) record at K-mart and left it on the car back seat. I'm the melted record dude. He went to his tent and emerged to do his show and this is a song he's just written. How cool is that?

[CaptainRon1913]

True talent, and truly missed

[kirbonite]

now I know what people did before drum machines.

[sneadhern]

truly amazin!!!!!!!!!!

[macditty]

this is the rawest best video on youtube. no band and lights and bullshit. just john with a banjo and a piece of PLYWOOD! and its more entertaining and talent driven than anything on mTV

[FiddlinArkansas]

@macditty gentle on the eyes, ears, fingers, palate and of course the mind...

[banjomartin88]

Im glad im not the only one that thinks so.

[tassiespirit]

mmmmmm....... sweat!

[swinneas]

Wow!!!!!

[telescoop]

Oeweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, this is soooo good! One of the greatest talents ever.

[stumptacular]

thanks for uploading these! this is amazing

[uncleluck]

John had real talent. He is missed. R.I. P. ol River Boat Pilot.

[DonDebrocini]

absolutely fantastic.. 5 star

[ewern]

Interesting series. Of course I will always picture John playing to live audience- fortunate to have seen him 5 times. Wish I had video camera in the mid-80's when he played Red Rocks CO. A signature of his live performances was to fiddle Orange Blossom Special down from the stage to the rear of concert hall and back again. I found it incredible he could navigate the entire Amphitheatre in the thin Mile High air- all without skipping a note. An amazing performer. Miss him a whole lot. RIP John.

[sidensvans54]

Just Fabulous.

Best song ever..

All my love sir...

Wherever you are...

[CassidyGarfield]

Thank you, John, somewhere out there.

[carteru93]

Amazing!

[sidensvans54]

Some picker... best song ever..

[banjoplayer17]

I think that John never got the recognition that he deserved. I think he is on of the best.

[sleaponit21]

top doller

[siddyx]

This is my fave vid ever on u tube. Thanx

[ans012345]

omg amazing to say the least love all your videos thankyou so much for uploading them big ole 5 stars regards ans