John Hartford's Aereo-Plain

[Rob Fowler]

To add to other Hartford listening options check out his later string band stuff. A lot of it (which is live) can be found on the aforementioned Steam Powered Preservation Society and on Sugarmegs. From Sugarmegs I'd recommend just about anything from 1997 and really enjoy the Athens, Georgia show from 5/30/1997. Most of (all of it?) that later string band stuff has Mike Compton laying it down with some fat mando pickin'.

Morning Bugle is definitely another must-have Hartford album (aren't all of them though?). It's just Hartford playing banjo with Norman Blake on guitar and mando and a bass player (name anybody?). I love Hartford's interesting lower tunings he employs on MB.

I don't think you could go wrong with just about anything he put out. Aereo-Plain is the first to get, though.

[Markus]

Go to a Mike Compton workshop or visit with him if you get a chance. Lots of good Hartford and Bill Monroe stories.

Good point.

I would rather hear first-hand, not `recorded in books while highly editing words and events'.

That said, workshop prices get to be expensive stories!

[neebee]

I saw John Hartford play solo at one of the earlier Ark venues in Ann Arbor...upstairs at South Main Market for those who have been there, mid 80's. He played a lot of fiddle with his footboard. The highlight was him asking everybody to clear out the chairs and he called square dance tunes for awhile...of course they were his version of square dance tunes...great memory.

[Rob Meldrum]

John was amazing. Back when Glen Campbell had a top rated TV show, John was a frequent guest. As many noted, he wrote "Gentle on My Mind" and other great songs. In 1990 I lived in Cincinnati and went to a Reds game that Summer. John came out with three guys and played the Star Spangled Banner on the banjo. The crowd burst into applause, and he kept playing. The other three came in behind him and John proceeded to sing the best, most American, non-glitzy Star Spangled Banner I have ever heard. I've been looking for a recording of it ever since. when my time comes, and I hope it is a long way off, I hope to hear him play and sing it again.
And by the way say a prayer for Glen Campbell, who is struggling with Alzheimer's.
Rob.

[adgefan]

Snagga fragga skibbiddy dibbidy ; it's only available to US customers at the moment.
I'll have to hold my breath for this one a while longer.

Both Aereo-plain and Morning Bugle are available as mp3s from Amazon.co.uk

[Beanzy]

Thanks,

The dirty deed is done. downloading as we speak via our steam powered 'broadband'

[Marty Henrickson]

Excellent! My satellite high-speed is powered by hamsters.

[mando_dan]

During the recording of Steam Powered, every player was encouraged to what he chose to do, play or not play, play what they wanted when they wanted, and the tape was always rolling. They did a live spot on a David Frost show that really shows what an outstanding and versatile band they were!

Right on stratman! John Hartford, Vassar Clements, Tut Taylor, Norman Black, and Randy Scruggs. They could jam, play it tight, look forward, look back- what a band. Aereo-Plain is one of desert island discs.

[J.Albert]

"Aereo-Plain" was the Sergeant Pepper's of bluegrass.

I've still got the original LP release from back around 1971, and the CD release from several years' back, too.

And don't overlook the "Steam Powered Aereo-Takes" release, as well.

Dave Bromberg was the producer of the project, and he's probably as responsible as anyone (John himself notwithstanding) for the uniqueness and longevity of Aereo-Plain.

- John

[fishdawg40]

To me, John was able to create a sound that had deep roots but yet was "far out". John had that river in him so deep. And yes, pick up Morning Bugle also, whoa what an album.

[FodForThoought]

I'm fairly a newcomer to bluegrass and have been waiting to get my hands on these albums for a long time. Hearing Yonder and Leftover Salmon's covers of Hartford tunes has a lot to do with why I picked up the mandolin in the first place. I'll never forget how crazy people got at Telluride 2010 when Salmon played "Up on the Hill"

[C Dubblez]

Great thread. Like many, I can't consider Hartford a bluegrasser so much as a great roots music player who basically epitomizes good and tasteful American music just as much or more as anyone else one could come up with, in my and many others' opinions. I have every one of his albums along with a plethora of various recordings, and for years I have never taken a substantial break from having them in rotation. Here is a direct download for a great retrospective of his life and music recorded from a radio broadcast, complete with tons of interviews with John and a huge variety of great musicians and their take on various aspects of so many great things about him. It is a great listen for long car rides or any other time, called Stashed Behind Your Couch: Part 1: http://www.sendspace.com/file/2246ht Part 2: http://www.sendspace.com/file/l5h2gm

[Jim Yates]

Saw the "Aero-Plain band" at Fox Hollow, 1972 I think. David Bromberg joined them onstage for part of their set. Awesome.

Bromberg produced the Aereoplane album.

[Jim Yates]

"Aereo-Plain" was the Sergeant Pepper's of bluegrass.

I've still got the original LP release from back around 1971, and the CD release from several years' back, too.

And don't overlook the "Steam Powered Aereo-Takes" release, as well.

Dave Bromberg was the producer of the project, and he's probably as responsible as anyone (John himself notwithstanding) for the uniqueness and longevity of Aereo-Plain.

- John

Aereo-Takes is a must have for Hartford fans, but it's not the album that Aereo-Plain is. I can see why these takes were left off the original album.

[Jim Yates]

Anyone know why they spelled Aereo-Plain the way they did?

[Beanzy]

I had a rummage about after buying this on the back of this thread as the background to any album is often enlightening.

The song is "Steam Powered Aereo Plane" but the album is "Aereo Plain"
Knowing the hippy stuff going on in the early '70s it could be the album is a reference to the astral plain, or maybe to the plain on which the music happens being the physical disc.

As an aside; apparently in 1899 Gustave Whitehead flew a steam powered aircraft in Hartford, Connecticut but whether this led the steamboat obsessed Harford/Hartford to the concept or not is anyone's guess.

Deep stuff dude. Getting lots of listening on my iPod at the mo.