Steve Goodman & Jethro Burns - The City of New Orleans

Steve playing with Jethro Burns.

There are many people who think this song was written by the famous artist Arlo Guthrie. I can tell you, they are wrong. Steve Goodman was the brain behind this song, but the person who made it FAMOUS was mr. Guthrie.

Recorded at Austin, Texas, January 17, 1982

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Steve Goodman
• Jethro Burns
• Kenneth
• City of New Orleans
• Guitar
• Mandolin

[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...

[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)

[mrsuavelukez12]

thanks a bunch for this!

[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.

[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.