J Hartford.G Campbell. Gentle on my mind

[eektog]

i was a 15 year old boy, a junior in high school when this song was a hit on the radio;

a nostalgic tune for me; i am a guitarist myself; at 15, i had a fender telecaster guitar which i

purchased with my own money i saved up working at a department store cafeteria after school in northern virginia;

this is some fine banjo picking and guitar picking; very nice !!

[cakewalker21]

Music has had such an amazing impact on my life that I could care less what the media thinks. Where this national treasure truly exist is in my memory as a child and as an adult. It will always be there and there is only one that can take that away. Thank you both for the memories.

[glennj3]

I think I played that banjo at Gruhn Music! This is a badass version of Gentle on My Mind!

[potentialavalanche]

John is such a great man for writing a song like this.

[bobjfs]

To think after hearing Glen is suffering from Alzheimer's that we will slowly lose such an amazing picker.

[slange64]

Amazing talent and craftsmanship.... where has this level of musicianship gone to?

[komo40]

Fantastic ... magical, even!

[deweypug]

Yup, John was an amazing musician. I believe the most expensive production banjo ever sold for new was the 'John Hartford' model... A nice footnote of his greatness.

[Omiewise65]

Oh my god how beautiful . I love this version . Love that banjo playing too .

[BadEarthMonkey]

Glen Campbell was a session picker before he started singing.

[bellicosebumpkin]

Who knew Glenn Campbell was such a good picker?



[roscoe008]

A song that expressed human freedom in such rolling tones that remind me of Whitman's poetry and Kerouac's prose poetry, I'm surprised it hasn't been banned as hate speech.

[peeps264]

Defiled ITTTT.

[bachfor]

@Str8eningTheCurves. I don't know the circumstances of 'the' rapper's death but, isn't anyone's death worth something to you? Or, is it just the press's rendition of someone's disparition that is important to you?

[Str8eningTheCurves]

@bachfor "..isn't anyone's death worth something to you?" Obviously so, or I would not have made the comment.

The press (AKA the media) is how most information is disseminated to the masses. What they cover and how they cover it is always important.

[jasonecall]

What a rare treasure!

[SirCricket]

Always makes me feel good when I listen to this classic! God bless you boys!

[gittahfiend]

John sings like Jorma kaukonen.anybody agree?

[waterwart]

1970's. man. veitnam was bad wasn't it fella's?

[rnr5682]

amazing picking

[mandomuchacho]

stirring . . . thank you!

[joey3244]

Two of the best ever playing that guitar and banjo the way they were meant to be played.

[jonnybottle]

Reckon this is the best version of GomM. They play their respective instruments to perfection. Thanks for posting.

[gwonyahoreya]

A vision of Heaven.

I sure do miss John and hope Glen is well today.

[alantphornton]

Heck. Nice stuff there fellahs.

[ArthurGoodlad]

Brilliant!

[dipyhermonite]

Awsome is all that one can say

[wanderingmum56]

Incredible duet!

[rioblancoman]

What a match.

[myszek46]

I can't really define "genius" but I know it when I see it. This was pure genius from two American legends. Thanks John, thanks Glen, for a tremendous and unforgettable piece of work.

[jmm1000]

glens picking at 259 shows great talent- its not easy to play that fast on an acoustic

[BijtjeBites]

One of the most beautiful clips on YouTube, and song of all times.

[miguelofthehillcount]

Pickin' and a grinin'

[gallowswood]

Right on! This is great!! Thanks for posing!

[sidensvans54]

Excellent...

Timeless... the story of so many lives.

[carolerory]

must be fun to play like that..

John Hartford was definitely a guy that beat to his own drum.. good stuff.

[Gurujibbo]

simply ... beautiful

[mugovo]

WOW !!!

[Stepherner]

this version is really great! i like this song very much especially the lines "It's knowin' that your door is always open And your path is free to walk That makes me tend to leave my sleepin' bag Rolled up and stashed behind your couch..." a friend & I sang this song a capella nearly 20 years ago to another friend who left germany to move to LA. everytime i hear this song he's "walkin' on the back roads by the rivers flowin' gentle on my mind... ;-)

[sidensvans54]

Excellent!!

[delpuckett]

these guys were pickers as well as good singer songwriters !!

[PihaSandDunes]

Hartford was such a great musician and presence. Sadly missed.

Great to be reminded again of Glen Campbell's talent too.

[msscoventry]

Two great musicians doing their thing.

[chunkybutt420]

great vid!!

[TEarnest]

These guys are just incredible. What else can you say? An American legacy.

[hartabe]

one of the most beautiful songs ever written

[CosmicPoop]

Magic!

[Str8eningTheCurves]

When national treasures like John Hartford and Bill Monroe pass the media doesn't even give them one second of recognition.

But let some worthless trash rapper get shot and it's everywhere...even years after the fact. What a disgrace.

They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Thanks for the everlasting music, John.

[ETericET]

@Str8eningTheCurves John Hartford is dead? That makes me sad, I love this song, it's so multi layered and emotional.

[patrickschwemmer]

@Str8eningTheCurves I don't think the racially charged comparison is necessary to appreciate this song.

[Str8eningTheCurves]

@patrickschwemmer Update your Political Correctness Handbook folks. It is now racist to call a rapper a rapper and refer to their violent misogynistic music as trash.

[jmm1000]

@Str8eningTheCurves - boy, you said it.

[bkeay100]

@Str8eningTheCurves

BILL MONROE is a national treasure but please keep in mind the best treasures are so often hidden and must be dug up at some time in the future!

[curbshoppin]

very cool I still miss John what a talent

[km90210]

I can't get enough of this song.

I use to work on the Mississippi Queen steamboat shown at the very beginning of this video. John Hartford, who was very fond of steamboats, who come and visit. He played a few conerts for crew on the bow of the boat. A very fond memory.

[sleaponit21]

MAGIC THANK YOU

[casinocashmarg]

wow wow

[CLARKPEST]

Nashville cats. Enough said.

[flightofideas72]

Yea you're right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sav1028]

Wow! Great version of this great tune. I never realized what a fine flatpicker Glen Campbell is!

[daveatx]

glen campbell is an awesome, underrated guiatrist.

[johnnyjackpot]

No JOKE!

[bopbopbobert]

Thanks John - Rest in Peace, Bro

[VictorianRose7]

Hartford is so cute! Does anyone know what year this is?

[Kingofmean]

When i die i hope this is the last song i hear.

[cortes0505]

Well, it's going to be played at my funeral. One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Performed here by two masters. Just awesome. Nothing more to say.

[BobSaccamanno]

It's knowin' that your door is always open

And your path is free to walk

That makes me tend to leave my sleepin' bag

Rolled up and stashed behind your couch

And it's knowin' I'm not shackled

By forgotten words and bonds

And the ink stains that have dried upon some line

That keeps you in the back roads

By the rivers of my memory

That keeps you ever gentle on my mind

[BobSaccamanno]

It's not clingin' to the rocks and ivy

Planted on their columns now that bind me

Or something that somebody said because

They thought we fit together walkin'

It's just knowing that the world

Will not be cursing or forgiving

When I walk along some railroad track and find

That you're movin' on the back roads

By the rivers of my memory

And for hours you're just gentle on my mind

[BobSaccamanno]

Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines

And the junkyards and the highways come between us

And some other woman's cryin' to her mother

'cause she turned and I was gone

I still might run in silence

Tears of joy might stain my face

And the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind

[BobSaccamanno]

But not to where I cannot see You walkin' on the back roads By the rivers flowin' gentle on my mind I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin' cracklin' cauldron In some train yard My beard a rustlin' coal pile And a dirty hat pulled low across my face Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I pretend to hold you to my breast and find That you're waitin' from the back roads By the rivers of my memory Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind

[deadwoodmountain]

Glen Campbell reminds me of a G.I. Joe doll or some other 1970's action figure with that testosterone laden hair and full beard. Killer voices and some serious picking going on here.......thanks for posting!

[ghostrunner2008]

Good song! but I think Elvis Presley sings it better.

[siamdesperado]

I like elvis... but by the time he got this song, he was so drugged out you could barely understand him...

[Jeanniebelle420]

Hartford wrote it, Campbell played it, Elvis defiled it.

[tinian33]

LOL!!!

[prynterman]

@Jeanniebelle420 Whether you like Elvis or not, what a hateful thing to say. I don't think it is in the spirit of what John Hartford was about as a musician or as a human being.By the way, Rolling Store ranked the album "From Elvis in Memphis" (which included Elvis' version of "Gentle On My Mind") as #190 of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

[drohegda]

boy do i miss times gone by. no matter times these to musicans probably did this song singular or together do you see the happiness, warm feeling, and joy on their faces, and when john hartford does his bit on the banjo, just for that brief second looks with his eyes in to glenn campbell as if to say , its your turn glenn sing it! thank you. drohegda

[Skeggsong]

Absolutely superb. Fantastic

[Jeanniebelle420]

Ditto!

[johnny85er]

BRAVO thanks for sharing!

[tomjampap]

This is pure genius..//

[dtmfr]

Boy they can pick it. This song is the all-time all-timer. Terrific.