JWB - The City of New Orleans

I have a very real connection to this song. I rode the City of New Orleans many times, as a Freshman at Southern Illinois University in 1966 and ’67, traveling back and forth between Chicago and Carbondale. Dad, as an Engineer on the Burlington Railroad, got me round-trip tickets for $10. (Carbondale is 350 miles from Chicago. Today, you couldn’t buy a ride to your mailbox for $5!) So, I was, literally, one of the "Sons of Pullman Porters, and Sons of Engineers, riding my Father's magic carpet made of steel".
Ironically, songwriter Steve Goodman was also from Chicago, and the same age as me, and also attending SIU. And, obviously, riding the City of New Orleans as well. I’ve often wondered if Steve and I were ever on that train at the same time.
I've been playing this song since 1972, when I first heard Arlo Guthrie's unequivocally definitive rendition. This was recorded on August 8, 2001, when I stopped over to visit a friend, just to see how he was doing. It was completely impromptu, and unexpected. Kevin had a small studio setup in his apartment, and he sat me down in front of a mic, handed me one of his guitars, and told me to "do a song". So, I did... It was just a single take, and the pinnacle of my 'recording career'.