Leave Regular Radio Behind
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Caffe Lena 60 Episode 10 1969

Michael Cooney
Artist
Michael Cooney

Ever wonder where the Grateful Dead learned their songs?

This is episode 10 of Caffe Lena: 60 Years of Song. Thank you to Sarah at the Caffe for compiling the list of artists and songs.

Michael Cooney had traveled the country, and knew how to play almost any song. He became a popular draw at a particular Palo Alto club in 1963. It was there he met a high school band, teaching them the songs they’d eventually be known for playing as the Grateful Dead.

The lure of the "Mystic East" was irresistible, and in 1964 Michael went to New York, then Boston. Michael learned his music from hundreds of people, well-known and unknown. He credits Pete Seeger and Sam Hinton for his interest in traditional folk music and the history behind the songs. Michael has been helping others to experience the beauty, power and humor of old and new songs for over 50 years, in countless halls, clubs, coffeehouses, etc., in the US, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain and Europe. In 1969, one of his stops was the burgeoning Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs.

Hailed as a "Modern-Day Troubadour" in the style of Woody Guthrie and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, John Craigie has been traveling continuously for most of the past decade throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. John's old-world style has been updated with his off the cuff observations, as he blazes his own trail. Caffe attendees have taken to his refreshing point of view, another great discovery in action.

Caffe Lena: 60 Years of Song, a production of WEXT Radio. 
 

This radio station started on July 7, 2007, and has been funded by awesome listeners since then. Thank you!