Jim Koenigsberger@Jimfrombaseball
Jan 24Canada
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"We went up to Santa Fe to have some fun.
On this night we closed down this bar and it was like three in the morning and nobody was on the street but us.
No cars, no nobody and there was this guy.
This was a bedraggled guy, not a kid.
A homeless guy, kind of crazy looking with a harmonica around his neck, his hat on the ground in front of him and nothing in the hat.
I don’t think he was drunk, but he was impaired in some way that had him standing on the street alone, singing “Mr. Bojangles."
There was no chance of anyone coming by.
Me and Jerry Jeff heard the music and we went to go find it, 'cause we could tell it was his song and when we found him.
It was almost surreal.
The guy looked up at us without recognition.
He didn't know Jerry Jeff was standing there.
He may never have heard of Jerry Jeff Walker.
We stood there and we watched this guy sing this song and I felt like one of us was gonna tear up.
We didn’t, but you could feel it.
It was palpable.
Jerry Jeff and I stood there and watched this guy sing “Mr. Bojangles” in front of a closed-down old blues bar, and I could feel us both getting choked up.
And I was asking myself, ‘Should I tell this guy that he’s playing Jerry Jeff’s song, and that Jerry Jeff is standing right here?’
“But, no, I figured that if Jerry Jeff wanted to let this guy know who he was, he’d tell him.
Jerry Jeff chose not to.
When the song was over, Jerry Jeff said, ‘That sounded great,’ and then he put a f***load of cash—every bit of cash he had on him—into that guy’s hat.
And then we walked off to the hotel, and I just couldn’t leave the moment alone.
‘Maybe the highlight of my life,’ I said.
‘Boring life so far, kid.’ ”
Todd Snider
Legends!!!!
Jan 24, 2026 · 1:43 PM UTC
I had an opportunity to meet/talk him twice. First was @txst @TheWitliff the second was @GrueneHallTX
A great guy and so genuine
thewittliffcollections.txst.…
The story about Jerry Jeff on David Bromberg's version makes it my favorite.youtu.be/qH5XmLXZPyo?si=rdKc…
Loved him and glad I got to see him once in Beaumont, TX. When asked what's the saddest song, I say Mr. Bojangles when hearing Jerry Jeff sing it. It plays out like a movie to me, picturing an old man and his dog with nothing but his tips for alcohol. One album which every song is excellent is this one.
1990
Used to pay him $300 to sing and play at our cocktail parties
That's how down on his luck he was then