Jesse Winchester and Me

It was early December 2014 when I learned the news.  By happenstance, Google informed me that Jesse Winchester died in April.  I had no idea.  Oddly, I felt an emotional loss, even though I never met the man.  It hit me hard, for some reason.

Jesse Winchester first caught my attention when I was in high school.  I remember hearing a quirky song on WEBN radio called Third Rate Romance.  He was the first to record that song which became a hit in 1975 for the group The Amazing Rhythm Aces.  A few years later, I became a Jesse Winchester fan when I bought his album Nothing But A Breeze.  I wore that record out.  Technology and mp3 audio files helped me reconnect with Jesse in the 1990's.  Over time, I created a playlist of Jesse Winchester songs.  To this day, I enjoy listening to them.

My appreciation for Jesse Winchester increased when I saw him in concert in 2002.  He played a show at the campus of Miami University in Hamilton, Ohio.  I recall his personable style, wit and dry sense of humor.  He struck me as a genuine, kind and thoughtful person.  His live voice was ever so soothing and melodic.  It was an enjoyable concert experience and I looked forward to seeing him again. I bookmarked his website and periodically checked-in to watch for his return to Southern Ohio.

In 2011 I learned of his battle with esophageal cancer. After treatment and surgery he was pronounced cancer free and began touring once again.  Unfortunately, it all ended so quickly when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2014.  A Google search of 'bladder cancer' was how I learned of his  demise.

 

My life has been enriched by the music of Jesse Winchester.  Songs like Mississippi You're On My Mind, Biloxi and Yankee Lady set such idyllic scenes. And Rumba Man and Say What always give me a lift.  Thinking about it, I knew Jesse Winchester rather well through his music. It turns out the man I know is the same person as described by Jesse's friends and associates; a kind southern gentleman and a thoughtful human being.  My connection with Jesse was stronger than I realized and I suppose my feeling of loss stems from the feeling that a part of my life passed with him.  Moreover, I think his death brought to the forefront my mortality.

I will continue to enjoy Jesse's music and will treasure his songs like old photographs. 

                                            David Wittkamp 

As soon as you learn that you don't live forever, you'll grow fond of the fruit of the vine.  So here is to you, and here is to me and here is to the ones we've left behind.

From Little Glass of Wine, By Jesse Winchester