DAVID WIFFEN (1971)-"Driving Wheel" British/Canadian folk genre's great unsung hero

And I'll leave you with one of the greatest songs of all time from an amazing female duo from Canada called Dala. For your pleasure here is "Horses":

 

Mother Hips used to cover David's Song "I Don't Want to Drive You Away" from the 3's a Crowd album.

 

Ahhhh....another amazing song that Tom Rsh covered...he performed that one too when I saw him last year

 

A wide array of amazing Wiffen covers. Thanks!!

 

Seems everyone has also mentioned Tom Rush and so they should for not only is he a fine songwriter (his big hit was "No Regrets") but he is perhaps the finest interpreter of songs I have ever heard. He tapped into the wealth of the finest songwriters long before they themselves became songwriting legends. He was the first artist to record songs by Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell and has also covered songs by Bruce Cockburn, Jesse Winchester, Murray McLauchlan; Jesse Colin Young, Fred Neil and an obscure (but brilliant) songwriter named Wayne Berry (his very rare album is also worth tracking down) amongst others. On top of all that Tom is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. Check out some of his brilliant songs on youtube and also have a hearty laugh while listening to his brilliantly written classic song "The Remember Song". Tom is unique and still going strong. Check out his 2009 album "What I Know" ..as good as anything he's released. Sublime.
And before I go here's another recommendation and they don't get much better than this..the songwriter's songwriter... Bob Lind who has a superb new album out "Magellen Was Wrong" which is only his second official studio album since 1970!! His all time classic album is from 1967 called "Don't Be Concerned" which includes his huge worldwide hit "Elusive Butterfly". So do yourselves a favour

 

I absolutely LOVE David Wiffen. That voice! I actually discovered him a few years ago from a video someone posted from the 1971 album here on the forum. Have the Water CD with bonus tracks of the s/t album, the Coast To Coast Fever CD and Songs From The Lost & Found CD. All great. Agree with the post above about Bob Lind also. Deserves much more recognition. Here's one of my favorite Wiffen tracks...

 

I found Coast To Coast in some clearance bin ages ago, bought it just because it was Canadian (I tended to do that), and then got interested in finding 3s A Crowd vinyl. I even have the Bunkhouse Coffeehouse album now! I think he's up there with Gene MacLellan in the Great White North Pantheon.

 

Yes--I pick LPs too when they are Canadian artists, and I'm from the USA! Gordo, Cohen, Young, Palmer, Guess Who, Ian & Sylvia, Plastic Cloud, David Wiffen...so much talent, often unrecognized here!

 

The first two songs on the 3's a Crowd LP (after the short intro) are terrific -- the definitive version (IMHO) of Get Together followed by a lively cover of Murray McLauchlan's Coat of Colours:

 

Very nice!

 

Bruce Cockburn...

 

Wonderful Live!

 

New album of old songs...

​

LYNN SAXBERG, OTTAWA CITIZEN
More from Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: January 30, 2015 | Last Updated: February 2, 2015 5:01 PM EST​

Read it here...
Thanks for the memories: David Wiffen delivers a new CD of old songs from his heyday

 

I sort of remember Valdy. Related to the Hometown Band?

 

Yep. At least on one of his albums he was with them.

 

A fine review...from Rising Storm

"Coast To Coast Fever, Wiffen’s follow-up to his critically-lauded debut, tells the tale. An informal concept album illustrating the life of the traveling musician and the rigors involved in trying to gain success as a songwriter, it plays as a sort of autobiographical meditation on where the man was at..."

David Wiffen “Coast to Coast Fever”

 

Very good!

 

................................................................................
Anyone have this!!??
"David Wiffen at the Bunkhouse"
...................................................................

 

Thanks for calling this out, LK. Roger McGuinn's cover of "Lost My Drivin' Wheel" is stunning, really stunning, so I am interested to hear Wiffen's original.

-- David

 

Quite wonderful.

Driving Wheel by David Wiffen
It actually rocks nicely...with some horns, lilting guitar, driving drums and full chorus thrown in for good measure! Wish it didn't fade off so soon! I'd like to hear a 5 minute version with the instruments really improvising they way they do as it fade sout.



And this wonderful cut that was covered so nicely by Eric Andersen

More Often The Not...Wiffen LIVE
David Wiffen performs More Often Than Not - CJOH

Eric Andersen's cover--1986 live. Perfect as usual from Eric
More Often Than Not - Eric Andersen

Studio version
More Often Than Not - Eric Andersen

 

Love the that Tony Kosinec album...really fine. THANKS for that one!

 

My pleasure. Overall you can't go wrong with any singer-songwriters from Canada in my experience. For something different from Canada check out these:

les seguin festin d'amour (vinyle) face a
Sodbusters - Black Creek (canada1974)

and this one from the brilliant Steve Tilston from the UK:
Steve Tilston - I Really Wanted You

 

Steve and daughter Martha Tilston are so great!

Martha's newest "The Sea" covers traditional sea tunes and her legendary father helps on harmonies...beautiful. ALSO...If you don't have all of Martha's albums of her original tunes, they are a must have!

Lovely On the Water

 

More Wiffen on the headphones ...so fine

 

Loved him in The Temptations