John Hartford won Grammy awards in three different decades, recorded more than 30 albums, and wrote one of the biggest hits of all time, “Gentle On My Mind,” recorded in the late ‘60s by Glen Campbell. His landmark 1971 album “Aereo-plain” is cited by many as the seed that eventually birthed the newgrass movement. His final Grammy was for his contribution to the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack, and he passed away from non-hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2001.

His influence will always be felt from Merlefest to Telluride to Bonnaroo. His former band, made up of Bob Carlin, Matt Combs, Mike Compton, Mark Schatz and Chris Sharp, have released a new album of John Hartford music under the name the John Hartford Stringband, titled “Memories of John.” The album consists of songs that Hartford fans will know, and some they will not, as Sharp, who plays guitar and sings, has chosen some tunes that only the inner circle had previously heard, as Hartford himself had never gotten around to recording them.

The album also boasts guest appearances from banjo queen Alison Brown, Bela Fleck, George Buckner and Tim O'Brien, just to name a few. But what makes this album so special is the love and respect that went into the arrangements, the performances, and the overall project. This album is strictly a labor of love, and it practically seeps out of the speakers as you listen. The performances are joyous and reverent. It is a collection of fantastic songs played by people who love them, and is the highest tribute anyone could pay to this honored songwriter and performer.

As the icing on the cake, Hartford himself appears on two songs taken from a 1960’s demo reel, “You Don’t Notice Me Ignoring You,” and “Fade Out,” which aptly closes the album with Hartford as the only performer, in a poignant end to a wonderful album.

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