Back in the late '60s Chicago's folk music scene was rich with talent and clubs/coffee houses all over the city. The Whitsuntide Singers played It's Here, a neat place with pillow seating on the floor and great sound and lighting.
The owner was a interesting guy by the name of Eddie Gunger. He was a bit unpredictable but always paid his acts on time, in cash at the end of the evening. We opened for Josh White Junior once and the likes of Bob Gibson, Ed & brother Fred Holstein were frequently seen there as well.
Somehow though I never crossed paths with the incredible Michael Smith...until two weeks ago at a show in Amherst Wisconsin. The writer of such marvelous songs as The Dutchman, I Brought My Father With Me, and There's a Panther In Michigan.
Michael is probably as old or older than me. He is very unassuming, but when the fingers meet the fret board, watch the fuck out! He could be the best folk guitarist I've ever seen. Up there with one of my alltime favorite guys, Tom Rush.
His show was pure entertainment, he made the audience laugh and cry literally from one song to the next. While most of the groups and singles that glutted Wells Street to Belmont Ave. are now CPAs or organic farmers, Michael is still plying his trade with the best of them. Here's a sample of his lyrics:
"When Amsterdam is golden in the morning Margaret brings him breakfast, She believes him. He thinks that tulips bloom beneath the snow. He's mad as he can be, But Margaret only sees that sometimes, Sometimes she sees her unborn children in his eyes". From "The Dutchman" by Michael Smith
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