My Old Man
A TRIBUTE TO STEVE GOODMAN

My old man was Steve Goodman and my old man was an icon of folk music. Because of this, I was raised around an array of singer/songwriters, acoustic guitars and mandolins. My father died when I was seven, but he left a musical legacy that surrounded me as I grew. As a teenager, I rebelled against this inherited legacy and pursued other genres, including pop, hip-hop and metal. I even formed a rock band and wrote my own rock songs.

Years later, through my dear Canadian friends, Chris Brown and Kate Fenner, I realized I had been missing out on the impact of a well-written song. A well-written song can hit close to home…really close to home. I began digging through the boxes in our basement, reading clippings and listening to Dad’s music. I realized my dad was more than an incredible songwriter; he was an American hero.

With the help of friends and talented peers, I embraced Dad’s music and legacy. I wanted to introduce it to my generation. Chris and I gathered together the best young talent we knew. Artists like Ana Egge, Luther Wright & The Wrongs, Crescent & Frost, Tony Scherr, Chris Brown and Kate Fenner.These musicians have a kinship, share songs, play together and look out for one another.

They invited me into their world so we could all share the life that remains in songs my dad wrote decades ago. Some picked the songs they wanted to sing. For others, I handpicked songs as my dad did years ago with his friends and fellow musicians, John Prine, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt and Jimmy Buffet.

“My Old Man” was one of the most personally challenging songs my father wrote and it’s even harder to sing. I never met my Grandpa Bud, my old man’s old man, whose life and death the song is about, but the song became the perfect muse for this tribute. I believe I have accomplished my mission: to express that a great song and a great spirit will always stand the test of time. My old man would have wanted it this way.