Nanci Griffith's song about Kate Wolf, "Ford Econoline" and Eliza Gilkyson's song about her father, Terry Gilkyson, "Easy Rider".

Just remembered about Eric Bogle's "Safe in the Harbor" about Stan Rogers. There are so many.

More songs about Kate Wolf - Kate's Guitar by Greg Brown, Katie and the Dreamtime Land by Eric ogle. And Kate Wolf on Eric Bogle in Poets Heart. And many, many more. Maria Muldaur's Blues for Hoagy (Carmichael, ofcourse), Iain Matthew's Tribute to Hank Williams, Van Dyke Parks' The Four Mills Brothers, Van Morrison's Jackie Wilson Said, Brian Golby's Doug Kershaw...

One of my favorites is about folk singers together -
Bill Steele's "A Million Songs". I'd love to know how to track down a version of it - it's on "Garbage and Other Garbage", but that is long out of print.

Fare Thee Well Cisco, Paxton's tribute to Cisco Houston. Bound for Glory, Phil Ochs tribute to Woody.

I recently got Kim Fowley's Adventures in Dreamland CD. He had two ballads on it that might fit in this category if you expand it just a little to include others associated with the music industry. One is called the Ballad of Phil Spector and the other is the Ballad of Gene Vincent. Phil Spector was a music producer, and Gene Vincent would be more associated with Heavy Metal which is a long way from folk.

Kim Fowley is an acquired taste and offers many quirky songs in his repertoire. Check Kim Fowley out. You might like his take on things.

"I'll fix your flat tire Merle
doncha get your purty sweet pickin' fingers
all covered with erl..."

I have no idea who sang it, but obviously about Merle Haggard.

Three songs come to mind: A tribute album to Gordon Lightfoot was recorded on Borealis Records in 2003. It featured covers of Lightfoot songs by various Canadian artists and one original tune by Aengus Finnan called "Lightfoot". Lots of people say that Garnet Rogers' song, "Frankie and Johnny" is about his late brother, Stan, although Garnet swears that this isn't the case. Finally, how about Gillian Welch's song, "Elvis"?

Bearnie Leadon's beautiful song about Gram Parsons: "My Man" by The Eagles, John Mayall's "JB Lenoir Is Dead". "I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle" was Pure Prairie League.

... and before that: Big Brother & the Holding Company.

I just though of another - on Priscilla Herdman's "Water Lilies" is a song about a country singer, Old Wooley.

"Killing me softly with his song" sung by Roberta Flack is about Don McLean.

Generally speaking, songs about other singers are a bit patronizing. There are at least two exceptions, both by Tom Paxton: "Did You Hear John Hurt?" and "Phil". Special honors would go to Bob Gibson's "Heavenly Choir," a reworking of the lame "Rock n' roll Heaven."

I guess the one that came to mind for me was Kris Kristoferson's "Pilgrim." And how can you do that without Jerry Jeff's " Pissin' in theWind" ?

I believe Cornflower Blue is another Bogle song that's a tribute to Kate Wolf.

joel

Don't forget "Miss William's Guitar" by the Jayhawks. It's a great song and if you haven't heard that song and also "Pretty Little Hairdo" (not about a singer but you HAVE to hear it!) by the Jayhawks you've missed some great music.

Thank you, Grant Coones, for clearing up a vague memory! I asked someone recently at a karaoke bar about Killing Me Softly. I knew it was written about a singer-songwriter, but the only person I could think of was James Taylor. No one in my group had heard that it was written about a songwriter.

My personal favorite is "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" by Van Morrison...both Van and Jackie are favorites!