Harris is truly an innovator. For over 30 years, Emmylou has flowed effortlessly between genres achieving popularity in pop, folk, country and now alternative. The common bridge is an exquisite vocal style and a gift for discovering the heart of a song.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 2, 1947, the daughter of Walter and Eugenia Harris grew up near Washington, D.C. As a college student in the late 60s, she sang with a local folk duo and eventually moved to Greenwich Village. She played the clubs on the local folk scene occasionally sharing the stage with Jerry Jeff Walker and David Bromberg.
Discovered in 1971 by Chris Hillman, Hillman brought Gram Parsons to hear her sing in a small club in the Washington D.C. area. In 1972, she answered the call from Gram to join him in Los Angeles to work on his first solo album, "GP." According to Songfacts, Parsons tragic early death in 1973 left Harris at an emotional and musical crossroads. Her earliest signature song, Boulder To Birmingham was written shortly after Gram's death, and it showed the depth of her shock and pain at losing her friend and mentor.
After the loss of Gram, Emmylou went back to the D.C. area and formed a country band, playing with them until her 1975 major label debut, Pieces of the Sky, when she formed the first version of the legendary Hot Band. Over the years the Hot Band included world class players such as Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and Hank DeVito.
Emmylou has been called by Billboard Magazine a "truly venturesome, genre-transcending pathfinder." Throughout her career, she has been admired for her talent as an artist and song connoisseur, but it was with her 2000 album, Red Dirt Girl, for which Ms. Harris was awarded her tenth (out of eleven total to date) Grammy, that she revealed she is also a gifted songwriter. Continuing the trend with her September 2003 album, Stumble Into Grace, Emmylou wrote ten of the album's eleven tracks. Though Emmylou is the most admired and influential woman in contemporary country music, her scope extends far beyond it. She has recorded with such diverse artists as Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette, Neil Young, The Chieftains, Lyle Lovett, Roy Orbison, The Band, Willie Nelson and George Jones.
She sings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt on the incomparable albums Trio and Trio II, making all three artists living American legends.
A longtime social activist, Harris has lent her voice to many causes. She is active in cultural preservation issues, notably the Country Music Foundation and the Grand Ole Opry. As an animal rights activist and the owner of several dogs and cats, Emmylou also supports PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Humane Society. Since 1997 she has been the most visible spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine Free World, drawing public attention and notable musical artists to the cause.
Kern River
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll never swim Kern River again,
It was there that I met him,
There that I lost my best friend.
Now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind.
And I may drown in still water,
But I'll never swim Kern River again.
He grew up in an oil town
But that gusher never came in.
And the river was a boundary
Where my darling and I used to swim.
One night in the moonlight,
The swiftness swept his life away.
Now I live on Lake Shasta,
And Lake Shasta is where I will stay.
There's the South San Joaquin
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.
And theres a place called Mt. Whitney
From where the mighty Kern River comes down.
Now it's not deep nor wide,
But it's a mean piece of water my friend.
And I may cross on the highway,
But I'll never swim Kern River again.
[Chorus: x2]
No, I'll never swim Kern River again.
Emmylou Harris's song "Kern River" is a melancholic ballad that tells the story of loss and grief. The singer of the song is expressing her refusal to swim in the Kern River again because she lost her best friend there. The chorus repeats this refusal: "I'll never swim Kern River again, It was there that I met him, There that I lost my best friend." For the singer, the river once held memories of joy and friendship, but now it's become a place of pain and mourning.
The verses of the song evoke a sense of nostalgia for the past and the beauty of the California landscape. The lyrics allude to the Kern River's origin in the majestic Mt. Whitney and how it flows through the San Joaquin Valley, which was once the site of the dust bowl. The singer's memories of swimming in the river with her best friend are contrasted with the tragedy that occurred there. The vivid imagery in the lyrics and Harris's emotive delivery make the song a poignant reflection on sorrow and the passing of time.
Overall, "Kern River" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the beauty of California's landscape and the enduring pain of loss. The lyrics tell a story of heartbreak and nostalgia, and the haunting melody and Harris's haunting vocals make it a moving tribute to those we've lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never swim Kern River again,
I will avoid going into Kern River for the rest of my life.
It was there that I met him,
I met my best friend at Kern River.
There that I lost my best friend.
It was at Kern River that I lost my best friend to the river's strong current.
Now I live in the mountains
I now reside among the mountains.
I drifted up here with the wind.
I moved to this area without any specific plan or direction.
And I may drown in still water,
I may be at risk even in calm waters.
But I'll never swim Kern River again.
I will never go swimming in Kern River again.
He grew up in an oil town
My friend was from a town that relied on oil for its economy.
But that gusher never came in.
The oil reserves never proved substantial enough to bring any significant financial gain to the town.
And the river was a boundary
Kern River was the dividing line between their town and the neighboring one.
Where my darling and I used to swim.
The river was a popular spot for my significant other and me to go swimming.
One night in the moonlight,
It happened on a moonlit night.
The swiftness swept his life away.
The river's strong current took my best friend's life away.
Now I live on Lake Shasta,
I currently reside near Lake Shasta.
And Lake Shasta is where I will stay.
I intend to remain living near Lake Shasta indefinitely.
There's the South San Joaquin
The South San Joaquin river is located nearby.
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.
The area around South San Joaquin river was where the dust bowl had originated from.
And there's a place called Mt. Whitney
Mt. Whitney, a well-known peak, can also be found nearby my residence.
From where the mighty Kern River comes down.
The Kern River originates from the peak of Mt. Whitney.
Now it's not deep nor wide,
The river isn't overly deep or wide.
But it's a mean piece of water my friend.
Despite its small size, Kern River is known for its unpredictable and powerful current.
And I may cross on the highway,
I may pass over the river while travelling down the highway.
But I'll never swim Kern River again.
Even if I cross it, I will never go swimming in Kern River again.
[Chorus: x2]
The chorus repeats twice.
No, I'll never swim Kern River again.
I will never go swimming in Kern River again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MERLE HAGGARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind