Musician Spotlight: John Hartford

The multi-talented John Hartford was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician playing various instruments. These included the bluegrass guitar, fiddle, and banjo. Along with his musical talents, he also invented his own shuffle tap dance move and often clogged away while he played. Hartford is also viewed as the co-founder of the newgrass movement, a combination of traditional bluegrass with rock, jazz, and world music.

John Hartford took inspiration from the Mississippi River and the bluegrass stars of the Grand Ole Opry, such as Earl Scruggs. He was motivated to become a musician by Scrugg’s expert banjo playing. Hartford then began to develop his skills on several instruments as well as the banjo such as the fiddler, guitar, and mandolin.

He played in different bands, worked as a DJ, and made a name for himself in the local music industry. He signed a contract with RCA Victor in 1966 and began releasing his own records.

Hartford later moved to Warner Bros to experiment with a more unconventional sound and his first newgrass albums were released. One of the most influential was Aereo-Plain which set the tone for his career as well as inspiring many budding newgrass musicians.

He also continued to work with different record labels. After changing contracts so many times, Hartford decided to set up his own label Small Dog o’Barking. His new brand and innovative voice encouraged a link between country music of the past and present and bluegrass with other genres.

John Hartford achieved many great things in his full and varied career. He won a Grammy award for his work on the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou, and didn’t stop surprising fans after that. He even wrote a children’s book Steamboat in a Cornfield. The story is about the real-life Ohio riverboat Virginia.

Harford was often inspired by the culture of steamboats on the Mississippi. He even had his own steamboat pilot’s license and spent every summer on the river. His home in Madison Tennessee marks the bend of the Cumberland River, known today as Hartford’s Bend, or Hartford’s Point.

John Hartford’s talent can be seen on display in this short video:

Steamboat in a Cornfield isn’t the only piece of literary works John Hartford produced. He also co-authored a biography of the blind fiddler Ed Hadley. Hartford, always a fan of Hadley, released an album of his tunes.

He also tried his hand at narration work, lending his voice to Ken Burns’ documentary series Baseball and The Civil War. Since his death in 2001, the annual John Hartford Memorial Festival is held at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in Indiana.

John Hartford was an influential man of many talents. He delved into a variety of art forms including music, dance, and literature. He was known for his appreciation of both traditional genres and experimental music.

His marriage of old and new styles still influences newgrass musicians today. John Hartford was proficient in a variety of instruments and demonstrated his skills across several genres and a broad selection of musical styles.

Learn more about his career and music on his website.