Posted by Captain Don Sanders on June 06, 101 at 20:20:34:
John Hartford and I were friends since the time he came on the DELTA QUEEN to do a special for the Glenn Ford Show in 1970. We had so many special times together.. in fact, each time I was with him was special. Like the time I was on the run after breaking-up with my love, "the Fish", and I was in Florida after our falling-out in New Orleans. A sign on the marquee of a small theatre in Orlando read: "John Hartford Here Thursday". It was Tuesday, so I headed west to the Gulf coast. Trying to outrun my grief of losing the love of the redheaded maid from the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN, I found myself in a cheap Tampa hotel room when I remembered that John was performing in the small theatre, on the opposite side of the state, in only a few hours hence. Grabbing my bag, I ran out the door of the flophouse and across the street to the bus station. Luckily, a bus was loading for Orlando, and when I arrived at the Orlando station, I stuffed my belongings into a locker and hurried uptown to see the show.
The theatre was dark, and John was well into his act when I entered and walked to the front row. One seat was remaining, and I sat down and enjoyed the rest of his performance. Afterwards, he was putting his instruments away, and I asked him where he was headed next. He couldn't see me clearly across the footlights, but when he recognized me he asked what I was doing in Florida. I told him I was looking for a ride north, but he said he was headed south to Key West. "Wanna go?", he asked. I had nowhere special that I had to be any time soon, so I said, "Sure." To know and love John is also to know and love Marie, his beloved wife, so I crowded into their van with "Joe" driving, and in the morning we awoke in the Keys. A couple of days later, the van was beating its way back northward. John wanted me to go to Nashville with them, but I had a ship waiting for me in Norfolk. The two of us talked all the way from Key West to Lake City, Florida while Joe drove and Marie caught up on her rest. It was rare that we got to spend that much time together; just talking about the river, the boats, and those who kept them afloat.
A few years later, I married Peggy and we were fortunate that we shared a wonderful friendship with John and Marie. Twelve years ago, Peggy, our son Jess, and I were in Nashville for one of their three-day wedding anniversary celebrations. Three of us went to Nashville, but four returned. Our youngest son was conceived while we were there, and his name is Jonathan Evan Hartford Sanders. This is all but, as I heard him say, "just a moment in time."
Thank you my dear friend for allowing me to share some of those moments with you. I miss you so very much, already. God bless you Marie, and your family, during this time of loss.