JOHN "MARMADUKE" DAWSON (1945-2009)

[pocojim]

Sad news, indeed.

I was a big fan of the early NRPS LPs. The night before my high school graduation I saw the New Riders perform at an old theater, then the graduation ceremony was on the same stage the next day. I found a pick and broken guitar string on stage, kept them for a long time.

Jim

[bigpocofan]

Saw them a few times over the years...first was bizarre, at something called Tony Randall's All Star Country Rodeo in NYC around 1980 ...we went for Riders and Charlie Daniels, who only did a few songs each...rest was stuff like Zsa Zsa Gabor doing a fashion show (?!)

There were a lot of snickers and yelling and about half the crowd left early..

Guess served us right not knowing what we were getting into but not clearly billed either..

[RedDirtRog]

I'm so sad to hear this, I loved those guys, every bit as much as Poco, in those heady days of the seventies there's nothing i looked forward to more than a new NRPS album, John wrote many great songs including this one.

Someday soon I'll come by
Riding from behind the hill
I'm gonna have a big white horse
Swear to god I will
Gonna have a big black hat
Gonna have my bedroll packed
I'm gonna come a riding up
And knock upon your door

Oh lady, it is such a lovely day
Oh lady, well I just dropped by to say
I'd like to take you with me, would you like to come?
When I go a-riding off into the setting sun

When we both were very small
I asked you would you leave it all
And come and ride away with me
And you said wait and see
Well now we're farther down the line
And dreams should not be left behind
So now I'm asking you one more time
To ride away with me

Oh lady, it is such a lovely day
Oh lady, well I just dropped by to say
I'd like to take you with me, would you like to come?
When I go a-riding off into the setting sun
When I go a-riding off into the setting sun
When we go a-riding off into the setting sun

I guess he's gone riding of into the Sunset for the last time, and he'll be sorely missed, not ashamed to say i have "teardrops in my eyes" as i write this.

[jerzeypocofan]

I am deeply saddened by this news...I have been a longtime fan of NRPS...they were one of the earliest concerts I went to ..they opened up for the Grateful Dead...Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ...

I went to the same show....I remember my coach being #@$! off at me for cutting
practice that day....Awesome show too!

[hzryb]

Jersey and Curly... I was at that show as well... I saw quite a few great shows at Roosevelt Stadium.

I was saddened to hear of Marmaduke's early passing. I just saw NRPS last month at BB Kings, and Dawson was the only original member not playing (and he hasn't toured in a long while). It was a real fun show. I liked how they blended the pedal steel into that Grateful Dead kind of sensibility.

Howard

[sunsetkidd]

Saw them a few times over the years...first was bizarre, at something called Tony Randall's All Star Country Rodeo in NYC around 1980..

[severalpieces]

I am deeply saddened by this news...I have been a longtime fan of NRPS...they were one of the earliest concerts I went to ..they opened up for the Grateful Dead...Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ...

Might have rubbed a shoulder or elbow around ya at Roosevelt Staduim !! I was there for every Dead show back in the 70's. What a time it was >>>>

Just as an aside, if you grew up in the area and depending on how old (young) you are.... can you remember ice skating at Roosevelt Stadium in the winter time ????

[CurlyQfromLI]

Might have rubbed a shoulder or elbow around ya at Roosevelt Staduim !! I was there for every Dead show back in the 70's. What a time it was >>>>

Just as an aside, if you grew up in the area and depending on how old (young) you are.... can you remember ice skating at Roosevelt Stadium in the winter time ???? [/quote]

Bev,
I'm originally from Clark, NJ..spent many a night at concerts all over the tri-state area, including Roosevelt Stadium, Capital Theater in Passaic, Independance Hall and Stone Pony in Asbury Park..Calderone theater in Hempstead, LI, Shaeffer Music Festival in NYC..and my college..now called Kean University.

The one thing I remember most about this DEAD / NRPS concert was my girlfriend and I wanted to go sooo badly but didnt have a car..we bought 3 tickets from Ticketron at Bamberger's dept store in Plainfield...we told her step brother that we "WON" the tickets from a radio station and he took us...What radio station gives 3 tickets???
Anyway, we had a great time, he hated it...
many a night we partied hard at that place...
You're right..oh what a time it was...

[BKLYNFAN]

So sad, another piece of my youth gone.

Loved those early days, saw them so many times live. I remember that you got a contact high just by being at one of their shows.

May John rest in piece. . .thanks for so many great memories!

D

[Here In GR]

Oh, this is too bad. I did get to see them in concert and it was way back when Mr. J. Garcia was playing the Pedal Steel Guitar with them. I certailny listened to their first album with Portland Woman on ot many times. I' think I'll go find it right now.......