R.I.P. RICHIE HAVENS & GEORGE JONES: THE WORLD CHANGES

One man sang of peace and love. He thought that he could change the world. Not because he had more wisdom or power than the rest of us, but because thought that all of us have power and that all of us could change the world, if we really desired to do so.

Another man sang about life, about the sadness of life, about the strength of life; of losing of cheating of regret, of hanging on. He approached the world one person at a time, one story at a time, one song at a time, by showing us who we are and what we've done and the consequences thereof.

Richie Havens was a singer who rose to instant national and international prominence with his performance at the original Woodstock. Richie was the opening act, in broad daylight, before the soon to be legendary crowd had surged onto the farm land. That image is forever etched in my mind: Richie, alone on the stage, just with his acoustic guitar, shouting out Freedom/Motherless Child.

It's an absolutely riveting performance. Richie's eyes are closed, he is slightly rocking back and forth on his chair, his hand a blur as he worked the string on his guitar. His voice is raspy and strong and filled with emotion and entirely on key.

Richie's message was one of peace and understanding and it was a message of which he sang right up until his death last week. That is to be commended, many artists from that time period jumped on the peace wagon because it was the fashion of the moment, Mr Havens rode that train his entire life because it was taking him to the only destination that, for him, made sense.

For me though, as a kid, Richie showed me that a solo performer with an acoustic instrument could rock just as hard as a band full of electricity. I had yet to discover people like Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson who, could, with one similar instrument convey worlds or emotion and feeling and yes, rock out.

George Jones was no rocker and there was very little politics in his music. But George Jones was a country bluesman. His music, melodically, had very little in common with John Lee Hooker, or Johnson or but in terms of his lyrics, he was a bluesman. There are powerful connections between traditional country music and traditional blues; many people feel that the combination of the two created rock n roll.

George sang of loss, of heartache, of regret, good old fashioned cheatin songs in a controlled voice that nonetheless was easily able to control emotion. When I heard of his recent passing I flashbacked to my mother dancing in her kitchen and singling along to the lyrics as George played from the radio.

Although I grew up listening to George's music I wasn't a fan, he was a little too "country" for me, I more gravitated to artists like Johnny Cash who could integrate elements of rock and even pop into his music. But as I listen to what passes as country now, essentially watered down pop music sang with a twang, I can admire George for his authenticity.

Richie Havens and George Jones, at first glance, seem to be worlds apart. The socially active hippie who appeared in a kaftan and the Nashville showman who favored sequined suits. But Authentic is the word that can be applied to both men; they were inspired by a vision and they stuck to it for their entire careers.

Change the world by singing about the world, change the world by singing about the individuals in said room. Be real, be passionate, hang on to the end.

And when you pass, the world will notice, it will indeed be changed by that fact.