A Tribute To Stan Rogers (Kate Wolf, Eric Bogle, John Gorka & Garnet Rogers)

Описание: 00:00 - All He Ever Saw Was You by Kate Wolf
04:05 - Safe In The Harbour by Eric Bogle
09:12 - That’s How Legends Are Made by John Gorka
13:59 - Night Drive by Garnet Rogers


A short YouTube album if you will of songs written in tribute of one of the greatest folk lyricists of all time, Stan Rogers. There are certainly other songs written in memory of the man however, I feel these songs flow decently together while still being varied enough to be more interesting.

Kate Wolf released “All He Ever Saw Was You” on her 1985 album ‘Poet’s Heart’, it being the last album she would release in her lifetime before her tragically early death from leukaemia the following year. Her previous live album ‘Give Yourself To Love’ was dedicated to Stan with the message in the liner notes reading; “In memory of songwriter Stan Rogers - the flame is out but the light burns on”.

Eric Bogle released “Safe In The Harbour” as the closing track on his 1984 album ‘When The Wind Blows’. The album also contained his cover of Stan’s incredible “Lock-Keeper” which was also released that year on his posthumous ‘From Fresh Water’ LP. Eric and Stan had both been admirers of each others work and had managed to meet not long before Stan’s death. At one concert in 1983, Stan said of Eric; “When I met Eric I sort of wasn't expecting too much cause I figured I've admired him and his music for years, if he turns out to be a bit of a jerk then well, that's okay. Turns out he's wonderful. He's a wonderful human being." Eric said similarly of Stan when introducing this song on stage the following year that “Somewhere Stan hopefully is safe in some harbour somewhere, I really hope he is”.

“That’s How Legends Are Made” was penned by John Gorka in July of 1983 in dedication to not only Stan but his brother Garnet and their “bass men” who he had seen play several times at Godfrey Daniel’s Coffeehouse in Bethlehem, PA where he helped set up the audio gear. Four years later John released his first album followed by one of my personal favourites ‘Land Of The Bottom Line’ which featured this song as the closing track. At a performance at Godfrey Daniel’s in 2017, John recalled; “I remember at the end of the night he [Stan] said ‘I’d like to thank Dave and Cindy for keeping this place going and thanks to our good friend John who has been so kind and helpful the whole night’. I wasn’t helpful at all but it was nice of him to lie on my behalf. I really appreciated that very much”.

“Night Drive” was recorded by Stan’s good friend, band mate and brother Garnet Rogers and is perhaps the most impactful and effective tribute to Stan in my opinion. It is entirely unique and evocative much like Stan’s writing but doesn’t not lean into the maritime stereotype that Stan gets lumped into. Garnet has had a great deal of hardship in the wake of his beloved brothers death yet despite that, he’s managed to build his own solo career and maintain his integrity as his own act with his own originality. Despite the songs lengthy runtime it flies by quickly thanks to the fascinating structure of the song and the energy and emotion behind its words.

“So tonight I’ll wish upon these stars,
As they rise upward to guide me.
That I’ll see you here just as you are
Now, as then, beside me.
Scares me how the years have flown,
Like the leaves drift in September.
They’ve lost sight of you as your legacy’s grown,
But this road and I,
We remember.”