Artist: Rolf Cahn & Eric Von Schmidt
Author: traditional
Label: Folkways
Year: 1961
Rolf was into negro spirituals and flamenco guitar; Expo '58, Brussels' World Fair, made his reputation. He Was A Friend Of Mine shows lyrical resemblance with the prison song Shorty George, cut by Smith Casey on Clemens State Farm, Brazoria.
Covers:
Bob Dylan [during sessions for his debut album, saved up for Bootleg Series Vol 1-3]
Eric Von Schmidt [recorded in the London jazz & folk record shop Dobell's, along with Richard Farina and 'Blind Boy Grunt', alias Bob Dylan, who owed Eric one: it was Von Schmidt's version of Baby Let Me Follow You Down that convinced Dylan to record it]
Byrds [dedicated to John F. Kennedy]
Nanci Griffith [with Dave Van Ronk, who gets credits for his arrangement of the original]
Willie Nelson [in film Brokeback Mountain]
See also: Joshua Gone Barbados.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)