Gumtree Canoe - John Hartford

[TheFestivalCandy]

thank you soooooo much for posting this. I just love seeing Mr Hartford live. God bless you John , you were amazing!

[stitch7777]

I love John's musis sooooo much!!!

[hilbert42]

If anyone is interested in how the song Gumtree Canoe has developed or changed over the years, then here's how the great Frank Crumit performed it about 80 years ago:

w-w-w-dot-archive-dot-org-slas­h-download-slash-FrankCrumit-1­1-20-slash-FrankCrumit-GumTree­Canoe.mp3

It's a much more traditional rendition but I think it is quite a lovely one.

(P.S.: For an old 78 recoding of such a vintage the quality is excellent--it has been reprocessed to reduce surface noise and crackles.)

[MrTRobbie]

Great performance

[Robbyski40]

Gum Tree Canoe is an excellent album

I used to go to Philly every August, what a great time, moved to Cali that year and missed John

[Elliemac100]

I love this version of Gumtree Canoe, but didn,t realise till recently it was Blue Grass. I live in the town of Galston , Ayrshire in Scotland and a lot of years ago I remember this song bein sung by some people at a session, It was jokingly referred to as the Galston National Anthem!!! I wondered if anyone can throw some light on this for me.

[Taylor510ceL9]

It was a minstrel tune, published as sheet music published in 1884 by S.Brainard's Sons. In a collection called "Minstrel Songs and Negro Melodies from the Sunny South"

[shocktower70]

Darn, That's another one I missed seeing.....Right up there with Stan Rogers

[OnToNeverland]

was this man known as "harty" also? I'm trying to figure it out for one of my bluegrass classes. Any help is appreciated.

[Taylor510ceL9]

John Hartford was a River Boat Pilot that liked to play music. I suppose that his friends could have called him that, but I never heard it. He was Mr. Hartford to me the times that I met him.

[gamoonbat]

This captures him patting his feet on that electrified board! John was a fabulous entertainer.

[altucker]

Thanks for capturing these videos Taylor. That there is a record of this tremendously talented man's work (beyond the vinyl) is important. Always one of my heroes - he was able to take the simple and present it with brilliance. He was a true gift and having been live there in Philly for a couple of his shows will always be a fond memory of mine.

[carolerory]

unique guy.. certainly didn't follow trends and

stayed true to his beliefs.

[maureenazulay]

love it!!

[sleaponit21]

bravo j h

[jroth848]

I'd bet even his heart beat in time with whatever song he was playing.  Amazing man.

[grodhagen]

What a musical genius. Damn I miss him.

[jonnybottle]

First saw JH ca. 1968 on the Bobby Gentry Show on the then brand new BBC2 - I was instantly a fan. He did a song "I'm an orphan of World War Two, a parent of World War Three" which I've been trying to find ever since. Can anyone help?

[humancity]

the amplified plywood is genius.

[vpwillnw]

This is actually an old song that dates from the 1840's. John's version of the melody is quite different from the original - but the words are the same. It's a beauty!

[sleaponit21]

pavarroti of the banjo

[leo3571]

taylor your the best thank you for these amazing videos been a hartford fan for years but was never able to see him live thank you very much

[Krexel]

John Hartford did in my opinion the best version of Big Rock Candy Mountain - which is on the live concert performances of Down From the Mountain. This man is awesome!

[wankerj]

He writes, he sings, he fiddles, he banjos, he dances out percussion on plywood! Too bad I only found out about him through archival Philly Folk Festival footage a few days ago...

[hartabe]

coooooollll !!!!!!!

[Dehnc0694]

This song really creates good imagery. John Hartford is an amazing songwriter.

[RUuser]

What would you thin if Shania Twain sang this accompanied only by Bela Fleck? It would be wild.

[starspace6]

Thanks so much for posting these videos, they're awesome...looking forward to others as you mentioned.

[oceans34]

Oh I wish I coulda seen Hartford play. He is certainly a great influence of mine.

[DougM63]

GREAT!!!!!

[dickTed]

Thanks. That bloke could fart out a rhythm if he wanted to. Grouse viddy mate, ta.

[mutley53]

Great stuff, thank you, easy listening, played on PC while I worked, helped bring a smile to the day. More! More!

[RUuser]

I'm amazed at all these Hartford performances that keep popping up on YouTube. Thanks for presenting this. Bring out more if you have them. I only saw John perform about half a dozen times....mostly in the late 70s. Once again, thanks.

[fingerbuster]

Brilliant upload Thanks so much.

More please.

[farmerburns]

thank you...one of my favorite john hartford songs...his songs kinda pass by like a good day on a canoe...thanks again...i was very happy to find this being shared!

[Taylor510ceL9]

I will post more sf this concert soon.

[heelsnsox]

@farmerburns

I named my canoe after this song. After a tree fell on it, broke a seat and bent it a little, I had to re-name it, It's now "Dadgumtreecanoe."