When Grammy Award winner John Fahey passed away on Feb. 22, 2001, he left behind a legacy of groundbreaking guitar styles, roots music innovations, and a generation of musicians who were inspired by his creative vision. The five years since his death have shed new light on his reputation as a giant in the blues, folk, post-punk and alternative genres, and on 20th century American music itself. Several recorded salutes to Fahey's prowess as a musical treasure have recently emerged, all of them reverential toward the both iconic and iconoclastic shadows he cast on contemporary music.
But how does one best understand the man himself and offer plaudits to his abilities?
Perhaps by asking his closest peers to musically explain who he was to them on a personal level.
His albums always taught the listener to expect the unexpected, and this recording is no exception. Along with twelve of his famous friends, students, and disciples, Fahey himself appears with a long lost guitar track from his last ever acoustic recording session and a spoken message to his friends which will bring smiles to the faces of both his new and longtime fans.
The CD is called John Fahey & Friends - Friends Of Fahey Tribute.
With songs either written or inspired by Fahey, George Winston, John Renbourn, Stefan Grossman, Paul Geremia, Woody Mann, Mark Lemhouse, Tinh, Terry Robb, Mitch Greenhill, Peter Lang, Mayne Smith and John Doan lay down solid tracks with the beauty and artistry that have made them famous around the world. It's a fond farewell to the man they all considered to be a close friend. These artists have generously donated their proceeds to the non-profit Village School Foundation. When's the last time a noble cause sounded this good?
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