Sunday Singalong: Two American Icons Pass On

First, the news came down that we lost Richie Havens. On April 22, the world heard that Havens died of a heart attack, one year after announcing that his ongoing health problems would prevent him from a life of extensive world-wide touring.

Havens was introduced to most of the world in the movie "Woodstock," where he was the opening act. He sang a medley--"Freedom" and "Motherless Child"--that captured the attention and imagination of millions of moviegoers. His pounding, relentless rhythm guitar spoke in a voice like no other, and his gravel-tinged singing was gentle but iron-strong. After Woodstock, Havens began showing up on the radio, with covers of tunes like the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun." He released many albums over his storied career, but he never lost that combination of gentleness and strength, and that astounding rhythm guitar technique that many have tried, and failed, to emulate.

Then, just the other day, came the unthinkable. We lost George Jones. Despite a lifelong battle with alcohol addiction and (surprise!) many bumpy love affairs, Jones was to country music what the Beatles were to rock. He was ubiquitious, he wrote and sang songs that make even jaded country music haters weep, and he toured endlessly. I saw Jones a few years ago at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, and his band spent the first hour before the show walking up and down the ailes, hawking his latest CD, a badly recorded live performance. I asked the guitar player, who sold me my copy, how he liked playing with Jones. He rolled his eyes as if to say "it's great if you like living in Hell." While the last part of his life may have been a cheap squeeze of his hits and early fame, the first half burned brighter than almost anyone can. Jones was a force of nature, an American original of the first order.

Both shall be sorely missed. But I, for one, am forever grateful they were here, and left behind their lives in these amazing songs.