Lyrics
He came to Cincinnati for the Tall Stacks Festival
To sing a few with Katie on the stage at the flood wall
But as the rain poured harder, he asked for an early call
The night John Hartford opened for us.
He always came to celebrate the river boats in fall
Himself a steamboat pilot, for years he closed it all.
But the stagehands grabbed a chair and moved his name up on the wall
The night John Hartford opened for us.
We took the shuttle from the college
to the closing show
Since we were singing a cappella,no instruments in tow
So happy to be singing on the stage with this legend.
Never guessing how the night would end.
We found our way back stage where John was talking to a crowd
of Tall Stacks volunteers who hoped they'd done our city proud.
"I'm going to be your opening act," he winked and laughed out loud.
The night John Hartford opened for us.
He played a magic set that night, the last one we would hear.
That riverboatin' troubadour our city held so dear.
We followed him and sang with all our hearts. We felt no fear.
Never knowing how the path would veer…
"It's knowing that your door is always open and your path is free to walk.
(It's knowing that your door us always open and your path is free to walk.)
So free to walk."*
The night John Hartford opened for us.