We're going to finish out our Phil Ochs fest by making it a trilogy, though this requires a bit of a backstory and goes into some unexpected directions. Bear with me, I think it's worth it. I've often mentioned the classical radio station in Chicago WFMT, which once a week veers off from classical and has their Midnight Special show on Saturday nights. That show is largely folk, with comedy, Broadway and odds-and-ends. It's been running on the station for over 67 years after being created in 1953 by one of their staff announcers, a fellow named Mike Nichols, who went on to have so respectable success with his own comedy and then directing. (Quick side note: when he was working at the stations, Nichols would occasionally bring a woman there who he was beginning to develop a comedy act with. And together, during down time when a long piece was playing or when he was off the air, Nichols and Elaine May would improvise and practice. And WFMT recorded these and retained the rights to them. Every once in a while, they would place one of these unreleased comedy treasures. I only heard a very few, but they were hilarious.) Anyway, until the previous host Rich Warren stopped doing The Midnight Special last year after several decades, and gave way to their current host, he would always end each broadcast with the song, "When I'm Gone," performed by two groups, Kim & Reggie and Magpie. It's a terrific rendition, which I posted here a while back, very rich and moving, gentle, but almost like an anthem.. The reason I posted it was because my folks absolutely loved the song and that recording. They loved The Midnight Special, though more in its earlier years, they weren't as thrilled by the song selection in its more recent years, but still listened on occasion -- but they made sure to try each week to tune in at the very least for that closing song. As it happens, the song "When I'm Gone" is by Phil Ochs. So, yeah, the story comes full circle. This isn't his recording of it. Nor is it the one by Kim & Reggie and Magpie, since I posted that before (and included the link above.) Instead, I came across this rendition by Sarah Lee Guthrie, who I hadn't hear of before. But if her last names seems like she should be a folksinger, that's for a reason -- yes, her father is Arlo Guthrie, and her grandfather was Woody Guthrie. And her version of Phil Och's wonderful song "When I'm Gone" is exquisite. A very different interpretation, tender and heart-aching. I hope you get a chance to check it out. For both the song and performance.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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