March 5, 2017 By Diane Kemp

Ray’s chat 19 – Simeon special!

RAY’S CHAT
Hi Folks

It’s RAYS CHAT NINETEEN.
Yes we have got to Chat Nineteen; and Still Rain: Oh well we should be moving towards better weather.

If you were lucky enough to be at The Folk Club on
March 3rd; You will have had the joy of hearing Simeon perform, his set.
Unfortunately I was SICK and had to miss that night.
I was so sad to have missed what I know would be a GREAT night.
For me is it always a JOY to hear and see Simeon perform.
His gentle style of performing never fails to make me Happy.
My guess is he performed the songs of John Denver
and Don Mclean, and That was the highlight of the evening.

And, if I am right??; He will be singing the songs of two guys that are VERY HIGH on my own list of Favourites.
Some Ethnic Folk guys may wonder ARE Don Mclean
and John Denver really Folk Singers?
Well I asked that question of Google.
And YES both Don and John came from FOLK backgrounds.
In fact Don Was friends with two of THE WEAVERS FOLK GROUP. And he knew Peter Seeger; who encouraged him.
So YES; that’s good enough for me. They ARE Folk.
And they have both written some Very Great Songs.

One early one that I always loved was ANNIES SONG
Put in: JOHN DENVER – ANNIES SONG 3.06
And YES; John Wrote that Song for his first wife.
He wrote over 200 songs. What Talent!

Another One immediately comes to my mind when I think of John,
is: Leaving on a Jet Plane.
Which He wrote and no one sings it better:
There are lots of versions on YouTube;
But the one I have chosen is very good: Put in
JOHN DENVER – LEAVING ON A JET PLANE 4.06
The Sad thing is that John Denver died in an Air Crash in 1977;
His ashes were scattered over the Colorado Mountains.
What Talent to die so young. He was only 53. Greatly missed.

One of John Denver’s Songs that Simeon sings so well is the last John Denver song I choose for you:
There are many versions: But I have chosen a LIVE ​RECORDING
Put in
John Denver…. SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS!!! 5.20
Over a million people have viewed this.
Yes: We very much miss the Magic of John Denver.
Definitely one of the GREATEST.

So TO OUR SECOND GREAT WRITER/SINGER
DON MCLEAN.
One of his first songs he wrote and performed was called TAPESTRY. And it is there on YOU TUBE if you like to see and hear him perform it.

I think one of the first of Dons Songs that really made a big impression on me was THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED.
Partially because Buddy Holly had been one of my GREATS.

OH Yes I loved Buddies songs and What a Great performer
HE was!! I remember chatting to Harvey Andrews,
and he said Buddy Holly was HIS Inspiration;
Yes Buddy was Great; a very special, oh so talented guy;
and he still has a special place in my heart.

So Don Mclean singing about Buddy Holly is something rather special;
I was really liking Don Mclean, and Some of his great songs like Raining in my heart, and Vincent. Were really ME
I have found you a great Live recording with a very young Don McClean singing live: Put in (yes: lower case)
Don Mclean – Vincent 3.58
This recording was made in 1972. A lovely version of a Great Song:
I guess I was a Don Mclean fan from about this time.

And what to choose for YOU next is a BIG problem.
So many to choose from:
CRYING. CASTLES IN THE AIR. AND I LOVE YOU SO. EMPTY CHAIRS. WINTER WOOD. IT’S JUST THE SUN. RAINING IN MY HEART. AND SO ON.
Oh Where Do I begin. I love them all.
BUT: I have found a real treat for me which I will share with you:
Don McLean singing a Buddy Holly Song!!
Yes I know Buddy Holly Was not Folk.
But it’s MY CHAT: So I am going to have Don McClean singing Buddy Holly;
Put in:
Don Mclean – It Doesn’t Matter Anymore 3.09
Now that was something special to me. I just hope you liked it.

And we are getting near the end of another Rays Chat, so I guess I have got to make just one more choice, for you.
Oh that is really VERY hard.. I want to choose so many.
EMPTY CHAIRS; oh a great video of a young Don playing magic guitar.
But I think I have got to choose the wonderful WINTER WOOD.
Don is just a fantastic solo performer. He plays great guitar and his voice is so melodic and gentle. To me a Perfect performer.
So YES to end this Rays Chat: Put in:
Winter Wood by Don Mclean (with Lyrics) 3.15

I was Lucky enough to see Don Mclean
Live. In a small theatre.
He just walked on stage Himself
NO Backing Group
AND HE WAS MAGIC.

Nice chatting to You
​ RAY