Just like the lyrics of this song , Kate was a flower fading ,not to come again. How sad it makes me to watch her face , sad and resigned , knowing that she was so sick and probably not coming back . She was ( and still is ) a beautiful , soft , sensitive artist who blessed us with her delightful music and charming presence . We miss you , Kate . Thanks for your gifts . George Lewis, Sr.
One of my favorite people ever, the only person I ever gave my blood for! And the song is still deeply true. She once called me her favorite sound man from the stage. We love you Kate!
Yes, I stumbled on Kate wolf late as she had just passed away. Bought much of her music. Love his voice. She was born in San Francisco and her talent and passion led to what I call west coast folk. She was a wonderful performer with her clear and sweet voice.
I must really say that no artist has never ever impressed and influenced me so much as Kate Wolf. Thank you Kate, from the warmest of my heart, for your wonderful, fantastic songs, poetry and music. Your songs are a part of me for ever and I can`t ever be tired of listening to them and playing them! Goran, Sweden
a 40 year record collector and just discovered Kate today, verry sad..i feel i have been cheated on these songs for so long The good news is i will be on the hunt tomorrow for all of her lps Lets GOOOO
The definition of an artist to me is someone who can express their deepest feelings to others. It may be through music, painting, poetry or any other way we can imagine. Kate Wolf had that ability. The music she created was just a reflection of what a beautiful person she was. She never knew me nor did I know her. But she built a bridge between us with her music that I cherish. She was amazing.
I am an old man I live in Australia. I have just found Kate wolf, I have discovered her, only to find she has passed. With deep heart and wanting to post some tribute. I saw your beautiful words. They are what I want to say. May I borrow your heartfelt words they are how I feel.
I believe that she knew that she was sick when she sung this. Or short after this. She only had the time she was living in and it turned out her time was limited. Rest in peace beautiful Kate.
I passed Kate onto my son who immersed himself in her music it was love at first listen he was overwhelmed by the beauty of her voice and her music and of her persona he vowed to pass her on to his yet unborn children and agreed that she deserved to have her light shine on forever through her music
Proud to say I applied Nina's "minimalist" backup and lead solo work to my own music life. She opened my eyes to when not to play. Sidemen and women players would do well to listen -- really listen -- to her works. At least, it worked for me for many decades now.
Sadly nothing lives ever in this universe, but the sweat sound of Kate's voice are still travelling across it ever so diluted but never lots. Thank you Kate.
We all live forever... in spirit life... we are immortal souls. 'Dying' is an illusion, just the removal of an overcoat and off we soar back home. Be happy.
The Music Gods were looking after me today. One different choice ,, while randomly picking videos as I went rabbit-holing on RU-vid and I wouldn't have ended up here. This is glorious.
Is it possible to have a "favorite" Kate Wolf song? The beauty of her voice, the excellence of her guitar work, and the soulfulness of her lyrics, all carry us through time.
Down by the river the water’s runnin’ low As I wander underneath the trees In the park outside of town The leaves turned brown and yellow now Are falling on the ground Remembering the way you felt Beside me here when love was new That feeling’s just grown stronger Since I fell in love with you Now we’ve only got these times we’re living in We’ve only got these times we’re living in Winter wood piled on the porch Walnuts scattered on the ground And wood smoke risin’ to the sky An old man comes home from work And he hugs his wife in a sweat-stained shirt Walks hrough that door to Where it’s warm inside And I’m walking as the wind Rustles in the fallen leaves My footsteps picking out a tune My heart sings silently Now we’ve only got these times we’re living in We’ve only got these times we’re living in See the roses dried and faded The tall trees carved and painted With long forgotten lovers’ names Old cars standing empty And dogs barking at me As I walk through the quiet streets the same If I could I’d tell you now There are no roads that do not bend And the days like flowers bloom and fade And they do not come again We’ve only got these times we’re living in We’ve only got these times we’re living in
I was lucky enough to meet Kate in the fall of '72, picking in a converted chicken shack between Cotati and Sebastopol, with the wood stove mellowing out the drizzle outside. She was unassuming, gracious, and encouraging, even though I could barely play at the time. She has made everyone whom she touched better for the experience, and that continues to this day when people sing and play her songs. If that's not life everlasting, what possibly could be ? It was really good to see Nina back at Kate Wolf Fest this year, and she brought me to some sweet tears when she played "These times we're living in" in a KW Song Set. Thanks, Kate, Nina, and Cloud for adding some sparkles to the space between the notes.
She reminds me so much of my treasured wife. Beautiful heart, soul, calm, and beautiful words. My darling is gone at the moment, working, but I will hug her so strongly when she comes back.
Marcel . . feel your treasured memories & comments within my own soul & I am having a similar experience..." We only got these times we are living in"...life & love are beautiful experiences but also can be so unfair .. Godspeed to all
Sad , beautiful and haunting . I feel that Kate was sick and knew that she was dying , it's sort of obvious just looking at her and listening to her . And yet these two remarkable and beautiful musicians create a lovely synergy and are able to produce this lovely song . Long live Kate , if only in memory , and Nina for this lovely gift of timeless and soul-touching music . Rest in Peace , Lovely Kate . Good fortune to you, Nina .
This was recorded a couple of months before her death. She had known she was dying for years at that point. This really makes the performance that much more heart-breaking.
@@csb2338 This was recorded in 1980 or 1981 despite the notation Kevan makes of the mid-1980's. Kate would not be diagnosed with leukemia until the Spring of 1986 and had expected to live a long life
I've been listening to Kate's music for about 7 years and choosing a favorite song is so difficult. Her songs paint pictures and have this special way of adapting to my changing life--a great gift!
+Jim O Even during being very sick at this concert, her voice was still magical; so serene and lovely. What a talent, what a loss....ah so sad there was nothing that could be done for her in the end.
+folkmusicgirl Thanks for the reply. Always a tear when I hear Kate's music. Just think how lucky we are to have a way to go back and appreciate her special talent.
Kate was not sick during this performance. Tired perhaps. She wouldn't be diagnosed with leukemia until the Spring of 1986. This was filmed in 1980 or 1981 despite the notation that Kevan says was the mid 1980's
Absolutely spellbinding talent...! Both women. Kate has such a clear and beautiful voice. So happy to discover this song and this video. Thanks to Gerald. ;0)
I started purchasing Kate Wolf albums in 1978 and her music is still among my favorites. Kate had a long bout with leukemia before she died in 1986. I could be wrong but my sense is both she and Nina are aware at the time of this performance that she didn't have much time left in this world. I see pain in Kate's face when I pause it at 1:27 and she doesn't look well. I'm sure playing her music soothed her. So sad, such a beautiful person giving her wonderful gift to the world.
Joe, I came to Kate more recently, about five years ago. You may well be right about their awareness of the seriousness of her illness at the time of this recording, and still Kate and Nina made this wonderful music. Makes me realise we are all here on borrowed time, and very few of us leave such a stunning and beautiful legacy as Kate Wolf. Michael
@@WISOTT Thanks for your reply Michael. Yes she has touched many hearts during her short journey in this world and she will probably continue spread love throughout the Universe for the rest of eternity.
The very heart and soul of folk music. She was a housewife with 2 young kids living in Sebastopol. Nina hadn't even picked up guitar. And they created all this. Extraordinary
Actually, Nina was already a bit of a guitar prodigy at 15. That bit of mythologizing aside, the story of Ninas inspiration to accompany Kate and actually doing it is, as you say, extraordinary. As is their wonderful music. This video, cited as being from "the mid-80s", is one of the most poignant, gut-wrenchingly sad things I've ever seen Kate died in '86, and must have known, here, how ill she was. I can hardly maintain my composure listening to it, just, as the kids say, too much feelz.
Lou Judson I welled up when I read that. No, I’m welling up again, such a beautiful combo. It was Kate and Nina for sure. We got lucky these two angels met.
I first heard Kate Wolf when I moved to Northern California on 1979 - she was a DJ on KFAT in Gilroy (I think). She played great music and when I heard her songs about this place I was hooked. I named my first good guitar after Kate and still able to play a few of her tunes. Saw her play twice with her band. Kate's songwriting was magical and sensitive. Nina's accompanyment was always a perfect compliment to these timeless treasures.
In the late seventies/early eighties, I went to all of her Berkeley area shows, most of them in the Julia Morgan Theater on College Ave. So many in fact that she recognized my wife and I and came up to us at a Berkeley street fair and we had a nice chat. A warm, wonderful, old soul.
I always enjoyed Kate's warm, haunting folk songs and only learned recently we lost her. Such a powerful influence on folk music, a life taken much too soon.
Never heard of her and now I am hers, especially with this song. And after reading the comments here about her coming death. She breakes the heart. Any heart.
When I just started out as a guitarist songcrafter I went to a small performance she gave, it was small enough for everyone to circle around her on the stage and sing together (kinda) to the last song. Those times were like that, thanks Kate...
Reminds me of watching her at the old Freight and Salvage. Rickety chair, tiny table, herb tea and a oatmeal cookie just a few feet from the stage. 50 years have passed, but still one of my favorite memories.
Remembering listening to a live show on KPFA many years ago with Kate, Nina and a view other artists taking about the shows and how they met. I remember Nina saying that she just wanted to perform with Kate at the Sonoma Country circuit and in time she surely showed that she could and she did! I had no idea what Kate looked like and when I heard her sing I just had to sit down and take notice, falling in love as she took my breath away. I am grateful for the recordings Kate and her cohorts have gifted us! I ordered her CD's and when I saw Kate's cover photo I somehow knew that is what she would look like.
KPFA is quite a station isn't it. Gave us Alan Watts, Kate Wolf and who knows how many others have been introduced to the world by this station. I'm far away in KPFK land (another good one for giving us Terence McKenna & Dennis & others - thank you Roy Tuchman and his wife!) These Pacifica stations are treasures although I've no patience for all the political crap they stir up. Anyway, thanks for posting this. I love her music and have for many years. I've gone twice to the Festival held every year in her honor. Her friend Utah Phillips is now also gone. Truly, we've only got these times we're livin' in.
THANK YOU KATE AS MY GUIDING SISTER THAT TAKES ME VERY FAR WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL SONGS THAT MY SONS AND DAUGHTER LOVE IN YOUR KIND SOFT STORY WORDS THAT YOU SHARE WITH ALL , THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT NESS
I first discovered Kate Wolf when Pandora played this song one day. I've loved the lady folk singers for a long time, but never knew about Kate until then. The song and her voice went straight to my heart, so I spent some time researching her, and bought some of her albums from itunes. Oh how I would have loved to have seen her in person! It happens that we were born in the same year, BTW.
Yes, I saw her there, too. Didn't realize what a special treat that was until the night I had tickets to see her there and they canceled the show because she was too sick. She died shortly thereafter. "The days like flowers bloom and fade and they do not come again." But, lucky us we got to see/hear her at all. And--Nina G. is still going strong. Saw her playing in Ives Park in Sebastopol just a couple weeks ago with Chris Webster. Wonderful.
Lilith Rogers I'm glad you wrote! Don't know if you know about the Nina G story. She saw Kate once in a concert and didn't know how to play a note. She decided at that moment she would learn to play guitar and end up playing with Kate. She did indeed. What an incredible musician she turned out to be. Also -- as I recall when I'd go see Kate at the Inn, the cover charge was $1.50-$2.00. "The trumpet vine grew in the kitchen window and bloomed bright orange on the wall...."
Jill 4 Today Imet friends of hers among the Paiute I was living with in 1987 so she was already gone by the time i heard her but it was so monumental as part of my journey to know my roots as I am Jewish, hungaraian and Native and I listened to Kates music for years after that. I even took her music across Hungary with me in the next summer of '88 and now a bunch of Hungarians way out in the countryside listen to her. Music and it's transformative power is universal. Her messages usually were because they often talked about the simplest of things like love, relationships, family, earth, sky, soul, spirit even food. It kind of sucks when I think of some of my idols who didn't live long and all I can think is they helped transform my life and I passed that along. That makes everything I have today so precious. thanks.
OH, Kate........bless you dear with sweet memories of your wonderful voice and poetry like this......"we've only got these times we're living in..." and we need to make them the best times don't we? You certainly helped.......Thank You...
I don't know why this was not a major hit. The title alone grabs your attention, if there is any philosophy in your soul. Then that angel voice, with the lyrics! Heavenly...
That's the problem with most of society: people don't tend to have any personal philosophy or perspective. And now you have the current state of affairs... it's no wonder.
So many of my favourite artists are largely unrecognised and, given the passing of time, will remain all but unknown. The truly sad feature is that they are/were hugely talented.
It probably wasn't it hit because it was not brainless, pop, dance music. This song is deep and meaningful and I could listen to it over and over. Artists like Kate don't get much air time on the radio unless you find an Independent station.
Kate wolf is a sister i could only dream of having, so much love, living, in sight, with life, so iv started enjoying the simple ways of life, Kate brings me back as a a boy, walking with many dogs, out in the meadows, chasing every thing, laying in the tall grass with them all
I hand't heard of Kate until she was mentioned in one of Peter Paul and Mary's interviews. They had sang one of her songs and credited Kate Wolf who had passed away that year. So glad I've the opportunity to see both Kate Wolf and Nina Gerber sing and play. Here's to you tube and whomever uploaded this for all to hear and relish for the peaceful times that is just over the horizon (we can only hope)....
Nina is such a stud! A full step bend on an acoustic guitar! Took a class with Nina a few years back...Learned more in an hour than a normal year. Just the best!
