The Joy of Steve Goodman

One of my musical influences was the Chicago-based singer-songwriter Steve Goodman. I saw him several times at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, during the 1970s. I was too young to drive back then, so I likely got there with an older friend or family member.

At the time, I knew Goodman as the writer of “City of New Orleans” and as a magnetic live performer. He was such a joyful presence on stage that I always left feeling buoyed. Although I loved his voice, I was especially captivated by his percussive guitar style.

When Goodman died in 1984 at the age of 36, I was completely unaware that he had been battling leukemia. What surprised me is how little that struggle showed in his performances. He had been living with the disease since he was 20 and was in and out of treatment throughout his career, yet I never sensed that he might be ill. What I remember is the energy he brought to the stage, the musicianship, and the sense of joy he conveyed to the audience.

Arlo Guthrie's recording of “City of New Orleans” became a hit in 1972 and helped establish Goodman’s stature as a major artist. The song became an American standard, and was recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, and Willie Nelson. Here is Goodman below singing “City of New Orleans,” at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, N.J., on April 18, 1976.