Jesse Winchester, You're On My Mind

Word comes today that we've lost another storyteller.

Jesse Winchester was always slightly under the radar. A singer-songwriter whose career features the  theme of "if only." If only he had not been drafted for the Vietnam War, if only he had not fled to Canada to avoid it, if only it had not taken so many years to be able to sing in the United States. Still, he became known in Canada and it wasn't too long before people everywhere began to notice... especially musicians.

His songs have been covered wonderfully from Lyle Lovett, Rosanne Cash and Jimmy Buffett, to Reba McIntyre, Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams. Take a story of loss and longing, bring it down to the simplest terms, add in subtle yet descriptive lyrics and you end up with the purity of a Jesse Winchester song.

A few years ago, Jesse was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. A few friends, headed by Jimmy Buffett and Elvis Costello, got together to record an album of Jesse's music called Quiet About It. It's wonderful.

Here are a couple of tunes, both by Jesse and some of his friends.

Rosanne Cash " Biloxi"

Little Feat "Rhumba Man"

Jesse Winchester "Mississippi You're On My Mind"

Take a listen. Enjoy the melodies, enjoy the singing, but mostly enjoy the stories.

Easy journey Jesse.

.