John Fahey - Beverly

Rare video

[@WilliamBrownGuitar]

I used to write letters to John and he would always very kindly return them, answering all my guitar questions. He was in Oregon then and was going through some tough times. He gave me some insight into his tunes and said that his favourite of all was "Sunshine Gonna Shine in my Backdoor Someday Blues".

[@tonywood8159]

Was changed forever after hearing Fahey in 1965 for the first time. And every time since. There has never been anyone better. Rest In Peace John.

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

He was a giant of American music. I even not american, but I know it.

[@kelechi_77]

The most amazing thing about Fahey is that he goes from a raga to folk to country to blues to ragtime to jazz to drone all in the span of 1 song.

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

And at the end - to ambient!

[@flammedangereuse]

That note he hits at 1:43 exactly gives me shiver. It's so right, it's so precise, the melody at this point is just brilliant

[@Frustratedartist2]

I'm just grateful for finally knowing how "Fahey" is pronounced (people don't exactly say his name that often). And of course the music itself was superb.

[@johnmitchelljr]

I thank the musical gods for Mr. Fahey. Sorry his demons had a hold on him. Thanks for sharing.

[@jimji5116]

I've been a John Fahey fan since the 60s. I actually met John, he had come to Montreal to play at a local folk music club. Apparently he had a girlfriend in Montreal. In between sets I would talk to him in the green room. He had been to India and also I had been to India. Apparently he was or had been a follower of a woman saint, Anandamayi Ma. After the gig, I drove him back to his hotel. The next morning he was flying back to the states. I still love his music, an originator of the guitar style called "Americian Primitive Guitar".

[@mikelord9860]

I started listening to Fahey in high school (mid 70s) and I got a chance to chat with him backstage before the show. I was 17 and stumbling over my words but he was very unassuming and polite. He put on a great show.

[@timetraveller6225]

The bravest combover in human history;)

[@danielalexandermclachlanga3781]

John Fahey and Alan Watts , blessed drunk in tha otherworld

[@moodswingy1973]

Alan Watts or Alan Wilson?

[@thelonious-dx9vi]

He really had something that was all him and nobody else. Naming the first record Blind Joe Death was a stroke of genius, far as the mystique thing. There's something about him that reminds me of Bill Evans, though I'm not sure what it is. I wish they'd both have stuck around longer.

[@simonpenny2564]

I bought the Yellow Princess on vinyl nearly 50years ago and it carved a beautiful rut through my mind that never healed over. thankyou John.

[@paulthanasse7405]

I believe it to be a double combover!...but whata remarkable, gifted guitarist...I discovered John almost 20 years ago nobody quite like him...a real master

[@ericaguirre98]

Oh god. The Master himself.

[@csturg]

The Great Koonaklaster …Thank you Eddie

[@ennbee2051]

'Rare'?! This is the, the... The holy grail!

[@bruwatso9179]

He always described his style as 'primitive', but he was such an innovator with his rhythmic patterns and unusual chord shapes. There is a deceptively profound emotional range in this, with simultaneous sadness and an uplifting quality. Perhaps with the description 'primitive' he was inviting us to drink deeply of the 'less is more' principle. There are many guitar players with 'flashier' technique, but few who can compare with him.

[@Adam-oc8cw]

Too many big words. Primitive-untaught

[@MrWeezer55]

His every performance is a meditation.

[@tomaswilliamson9685]

The Yellow Princess, now 50+ years since its release on the album of same name, is unequaled.

[@mito88]

BEAUTIFUL

[@romanoznobishin947]

Thank you, John, thank you

[@geraldhugley3618]

Thanks. Love Fahey

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

You can also watch his interview on my channel. Just happy to share with other fans.

[@danielebernardini8548]

Thanks for this gem!!

[@Valery5852]

Спасибо, Арсений!

[@alskeno9918]

Great

[@waterdogherbfarm2652]

love it

[@electriczoo5310]

beautiful, i might have a new favorite fahey track i like this version a lot, while i love fahey's noodling on the other recordings, this version of the song is so clean and shows how good beverly's melody is by itself. one of fahey's most catchy melodies imo

[@joeessig3550]

agreed so much, it stands out as a simplified track. the germany live recording is great in a more symphonic sense, with broader dynamics and movements, but this one just lets the melody sing. extra emotional because of it---no one talks with their guitar quite like John Fahey. immensely rewarding to learn one of these songs down to the subtleties, gonna be the first thing I have my kids do on guitar. nothing has improved my rhythm and expressiveness as much

[@Robert-tj3qq]

@1:50 I heard, Elizabeth Cotten's freight train

[@martinmuzoc]

they chopped the song up! Seems like the middle section got cut... pbs producers smh....

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

Yeah, it was cut...

[@Shatterthewaves]

That guitar is a far cry from the glorious Martin D35 of the Hamburg performance. What happened?

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

Actually, it's 1977* year on video. If John don't have beard is not mean he's in 1980s :) I think it was before he buy Martin. Also, I don't know where was Martin when he work with Terry Robb. On all photo and video with Terry John playing on another guitar. I think it all because alcoholism and self destructed life. Fahey sold guitar and buy something cheaper because he was need a money. But it's a theory. Maybe Martin just broken or stolen, I don't know.

[@Shatterthewaves]

@@RickyBlackwell_X Wow, so it's one year before the Hamburg performance ! Fahey's playing seems much more thunderous with the Martin D35 in front of a big audience, in contrast to here. Maybe the audio recording is to blame, there is almost no reverb here and the guitar is less lively. Seeing he still played the Martin in the New Varsity 1981 live make me think he only kept it for a few years (~1978-1982). Too bad he didn't hold on to it, just like the Bacon & Day ! Thanks for posting this anyway, live footage of John Fahey is always to be cherished !

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

@@Shatterthewaves In new varsity 1983 he's still playing on Martin. Then, when he started to work with Terry Robb he playing on Guild guitar. Then, I don't what is this, but at the late period he playing on really cheap guitar. Before he started to play on electric guitar, of course.

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

@@Shatterthewaves I think the real reason he chose the electric guitar is because the electric guitar masks well the rheumatism that John played too harshly. But he told us a sad story that he "does not want to play as before." Yes, he changed the genre to noir, but he could have done it on acoustics, only the sound would be worse and John understood it

[@barrydobrin1135]

Awesome! So this would about 1977?

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

I think so

[@michaelpage2245]

Is there more footage from this?

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

Actually, I stole it from facebook and I think, it's the same footage in video "Peter Lang and John Fahey". You can find it... on Peter Lang channel.

[@kennethnick3213]

He even looks a lot like a turtle.