He Does His Best For Peace and Love

 

Richie Furay is a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer.

The 79-year-old native Ohioan brought his lyrics of love and catchy tunes to Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band through the 1960s and 1970s.  More recently, Furay, who will retire from live performances in May as he turns 80, brought them to the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Center and Museum on October 25.

Furay, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is one of the godparents of a musical genre that has always been my favorite.  It was dubbed “country rock” back then. 

Buffalo Springfield was a virtual all-star lineup that included Stephen Stills and Neil Young before they gave us “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and “Ohio.”  Among its biggest hits was Stills’ protest song, “For What It’s Worth,” which became an anthem shortly after its release 57 years ago. 

Like so many of the era’s great rock acts, Buffalo Springfield crumbled when the artists developed conflicting notions about what the future might hold.  Furay united with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, Randy Meisner and George Grantham to form Poco in 1968.  Timothy B. Schmidt replaced future Eagle Meisner and Messina was gone by 1970, but Furay’s lilting voice and the upbeat nature of his music coursed through the genre.

Furay left Poco in 1974 to form the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, his sound having attracted legions of fans.  When the numbers didn’t add up to success, he became drawn to Christianity and became a pastor in the Denver area. It was his Christian demeanor that was on display after his stellar performance at The Kate.

The tradition at The Kate is for artists, if they’re so inclined, to meet and chat with their fans after the show as they sell their music, shirts, caps and the like.  I’ve had the chance to chat with many of my favorites and as the show ended, I felt compelled to meet him.  After all, his music is part of my life’s soundtrack.

He chatted amiably with some folks and made his way toward me.  What a time for the cellphone to beep.  My son Jason sent me a very ominous text – “Dad, whatever you do, don’t look at the news.”  I quickly texted back.

“What happened?  Did (Celtics great Jayson) Tatum get hurt?  Is there more Hamas treachery in Israel?”

He piqued my curiosity.  I had to find out what happened.

My wife Lisa and I had just returned from a nice trip to Maine and had only been home for a few days.  The report Jason was alluding to was the mass murder in Lewiston.  No, please, not in Maine.  We went up there to escape from I-84 road rage and the other grim occurrences that now happen where too many people live too close together.

Yes, the report said 22 people had been shot and the gunman was still at-large.  A peaceful evening of music was tainted by the painful reality of 21^st century life in our country.

Richie Furay looked at my reaction to what I had just read and his instinct told him something was wrong.  I held the cellphone up so he could read it.

A tear formed in the corner of his eye as he scanned the news.  He looked at me and said, “What is wrong with us?”  Richie, I wish I knew.  I felt a deeper connection with him as a contemporary who spent a lifetime singing songs of love.  I shoveled out many dollars that I shouldn’t have spent to have his soothing music in my library.

“Good Feeling To Know,” which Richie chose not to perform at The Kate, was always a go-to song when I was feeling down.  “Kind Woman.” “Sit Down I Think I Love You.” “Go And Say Goodbye.” “Pickin’ Up The Pieces.” They were sung with love.  That’s what so many artists in the genre did.  Love was the prevailing emotion that occupied our hearts as we entered the real world, married and had kids.  The chance meeting between Richie and I nearly 60 years later showed how the Life Meter has gone from love to hate during our time.  That wasn’t how we planned it.  We had more faith in humanity that peace could truly prevail beyond just the music.

I wish I could present you with a happier ending. Less than two weeks later, Hamas displayed the barbarity that an idealistic songwriter like Furay could never have comprehended with its senseless attack on innocent people, most of whom were enjoying a concert at the time.

Richie couldn’t understand how that could happen.  Neither can I.  Hate, you see, has dumped love onto the back pages of life.  I’m glad a vestige of the love and innocence we once enjoyed could return to us, even if only for a fleeting moment.

A Good Feeling to Know

When I need good lovin' I always come home to you. You free my lifetime of the blues.

Yes I got that old time feelin' burnin' deep inside my soul and I'm yours, baby I'm home.

And it's a good feeling to know. It's such a good feeling to know. Oh it's a good feeling to know. Somebody loves you.

Kind Woman

I got a good reason for loving you.  It's an old-fashioned sign. I kinda get the feeling like, mmm, you know when I fell in love the first time.

Kind woman, won't you love me tonight. The look in your eyes.

Kind woman, don't leave me lonely tonight. Please say it's alright.