Hard to believe Dan's gone. We played together a few times in the Red Herring Coffee House on the campus of the University of Illinois, before he made his first album.
Dan was playing a Martin D-28. First time I saw and heard a Martin, and I just had to have one. A couple of years later, when I was living in San Francisco, I bought my own D-28. Played it for 30 years.
Didn't see Dan for 20 years, although I always followed his career. Then, I ran into him in Syracuse, where he was giving a concert. Always a gracious man, he probably pretended that he remembered me after all those years.
We had a great music scene back in the day in Champaign/Urbana. Steve Goodman and the other folks from the Earl of Olde Town showed up regularly. REO Speedwagon was just getting it together at the Red Lion, a musty bar. Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters and Paul Butterfield were in their prime. Paul later showed up as my neighbor in Woodstock.
I've traveled all over the country looking for a better music scene than I enjoyed back in those days. Haven't found it. The grass isn't always greener.
Happy New Year!



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