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lighthead2toe · 12-11-2009, 03:29 AM

Another thing about that classic piece of work is the the way it is interpreted by the great number of artists who perform and include it on their recordings.

During the Steele's Tavern days in Toronto when Gord worked there as a single performer the local entertainers would also include Early Morning Rain in their shows and it was such an amazing treat to go there, many times not even knowing who the performer would be on a particular night but the shows were always great and many of Gord's tunes would be played by the locals.

Rick Fielding, who went on to be a radio host was one of the regulars in those days and did a really beautiful version on EMR to which Gord would give him the "thumbs up."

There was another performer who did a very sweet arrangement of that song whose surname was "Kelly" and I don't recall his first name off hand but he did some TV work in those days also and maybe did a song or two on "Singalong Jubilee."

I remember being there one evening and when he announced he was going to do EMR he made a point of saying that it was a song that he had his own interpretation of and included some minor chords which really worked well for his version and voice.

It's such a beautifully written piece of work that I can't ever seem to get enough of it and although I try and play it the way Gord wrote it, there are times when I get this urge to yield to the temptation of sneaking in those minor chords that seem to leave their haunting lurk all over the fingerboard.

Ah, to reminisce about those great moments when "the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast."

Those were the good days.

RJ.

12-11-2009, 03:29 AM	#7
lighthead2toe Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada Posts: 920	Re: Early Morning Rain Another thing about that classic piece of work is the the way it is interpreted by the great number of artists who perform and include it on their recordings. During the Steele's Tavern days in Toronto when Gord worked there as a single performer the local entertainers would also include Early Morning Rain in their shows and it was such an amazing treat to go there, many times not even knowing who the performer would be on a particular night but the shows were always great and many of Gord's tunes would be played by the locals. Rick Fielding, who went on to be a radio host was one of the regulars in those days and did a really beautiful version on EMR to which Gord would give him the "thumbs up." There was another performer who did a very sweet arrangement of that song whose surname was "Kelly" and I don't recall his first name off hand but he did some TV work in those days also and maybe did a song or two on "Singalong Jubilee." I remember being there one evening and when he announced he was going to do EMR he made a point of saying that it was a song that he had his own interpretation of and included some minor chords which really worked well for his version and voice. It's such a beautifully written piece of work that I can't ever seem to get enough of it and although I try and play it the way Gord wrote it, there are times when I get this urge to yield to the temptation of sneaking in those minor chords that seem to leave their haunting lurk all over the fingerboard. Ah, to reminisce about those great moments when "the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast." Those were the good days. RJ.