30 Comments
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Bob  Gambichler's avatar

What is the name of that Martin? I have 3- D15, D18, HD 28, all beautiful instruments!

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Richard Shindell's avatar

The D-18 has no name, except maybe “the 52”.

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Judy Westwood's avatar

I know this song. I love your rendition. I only ever knew it rowdy and fast. You do a beautiful job with it. Some verses I don't remember and my version's train was 'west bound' and my version's sun shone in my 'back door'. My folk group performed this one at our high school hootenany in 1964! Two boys and two girls in matching madras shirts. The Newport Singers. :)

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Joseph McMullen's avatar

Very nice version of this song. I've heard you play it live a couple of times, once with Lucy Kaplansky in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Thanks for sharing. That Martin sounds great, (my Martin is my favorite guitar).

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Jon Davies's avatar

Lovely rendition. My friend’s band cover this regularly in their sets. I didn’t, til now, realise it had trad origins.

A few years ago my daughter flew down from Wales to make that journey through Argentina and onwards with a friend. I think it was one of those ‘right of passage’ things with her, but she could have picked somewhere a bit closer to home!

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Ron Greitzer's avatar

More guitar stories!

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Richard Shindell's avatar

I aim to please, but I may have to pace myself.

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Mike Buchman's avatar

Great story, Richard. Thanks for sharing it.

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Mike Buchman's avatar

Great story, Richard. Thanks for sharing it.

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Bob Telson's avatar

Beautiful

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Thanks my friend!

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Tom Merolla's avatar

I've always loved the version you did with Lucy on Tomorrow You're Going. That's just a wonderful collection of songs. Now I know where I Know You Rider came from. I like your vocals. Lucy nailed it. I love your story. Seems like it would make a great song.

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Michael Roney's avatar

My previous exposure to this great song has been from the Grateful Dead, who have been doing it for years. This is a really nice rendition.

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Michael Roney's avatar

Sweet…!

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Georgette's avatar

This was a joy to read. Thank you.

Is the timing of this rite of passage scheduled around the school year? What do they do when they arrive at their destination? It sounds much more like a pilgrimage than the inexplicable (to me) spring break trip Americans take to Florida.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Yes, summer break begins in mid December. They do what you’d expect a bunch of 20 year olds at large to do. But nothing like Spring Break. There is an element of pilgrimage.

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Wayne Simpson's avatar

I love the arrangement you and Lucy did of "Ruder" on Pine Hill, but you know what? I like this one a lot, too. This one you can do with one voice and one guitar and there's a lot to be said for solo acoustic.

Great story about you, M. and your old Yamaha.

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Elissa Altman's avatar

A 1943 0-18? Lord. 😮😮😮 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

And a beautiful song—

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Scott Baldauf's avatar

Such a beautiful version of this song. It’s amazing how simple songs can bend into so many different forms.

And I’m with you on the sentimental value of guitars that have a past, a hundred scratches, each containing a story. I’m glad that both son and guitar made it home safely, with stories to tell.

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Carrie's avatar

This song originated many years ago and was partially written by an eighteen-year-old black girl, in prison for murder, who sang the tune and the first stanza of these blues.

I first heard it in the 60's and in my naivity thought it referred to a guy on a horse.

In Blues songs (and Folk or Rock songs that are based on Blues songs) a "rider" is a person's sexual partner.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

And here I thought it was referring to a guitar in its case. ;-)

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Collin Littlewood's avatar

Hey Richard - this is beautiful - the D-18 and your sultry vocals melodically blend as one - and the falsetto seems so easy - thoughts of John Denver; Paul McCartney and Neil Finn come to mind - that is made as a compliment by the way! I love your material Richard; you are a treasure.

Collin. Napier New Zealand

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