vid: proto-aereo plain
Those of you who know me know I treasure no record as much as I treasure John Hartford's 1971 masterpiece Aereo Plain, a record so rich and complete that I cannot possible tell you all about it.
Aereo Plain featured John fronting a truly all-star band. Norman Blake (guitar and some mandolin), Tut Taylor (dobro and some mandolin) and the incredible Vassar Clements on fiddle. The first time Vassar, John, and Norman played together is captured on this clip. The Johnny Cash Show, 1969. John is ostensibly there to push his self-titled RCA album of that year. He sings "I've Heard That Tearstained Monologue You Do There By The Door Before You Go". Then Johnny comes out, they speak briefly, and they launch into a medley of Bill Monroe songs. Norman is on mando (looking remarkably nerdy compared to the goateed Norman we've come to know), Vassar on fiddle, and the excitement and sheer joy of the moment is enough to number the days for John's Iron Mountain Depot band, which featured my dear friend Colin Cameron on bass.
Labels: john hartford aereo plain vassar clements
posted by skip heller @ 4:55 PM
2 Comments:
Aw Skip, I hear ya, but still, there's something about them being Hartford's only counry-rock band that makes me love the Iron Mountain Depot band so.
J.
jason, me too (the bassist is truly a dear friend). but, um, history has spoken.
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