cover image They Can't Hide Us Anymore

They Can't Hide Us Anymore

Richie Havens. William Morrow & Company, $24 (331pp) ISBN 978-0-380-97718-5

The first time Havens played a ""real"" coffeehouse in Greenwich Village, he credited the best song in his repertoire to an unknown folksinger named Gene Michaels. Afterward, a young man came up to him in tears, congratulating him on his beautiful rendition of ""A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."" The tearful young man, it turned out, was Bob Dylan. Ever since he launched his career in Greenwich Village in the '60s, African-American/Native American folksinger Havens (a native Brooklynite) has assumed the role of the big-hearted ally of the underdog. It should come as little surprise, therefore, that much of his autobiography trumpets the talents of artists such as Fred Neil, the little-known singer/songwriter who scored his only hit with ""Everybody's Talkin' at Me,"" penned for the film Midnight Cowboy. The tendency to focus on the obscure typifies the book--and Havens, too. He denies any regrets that the highlight of his career came early--when he opened Woodstock in 1969--claiming that money and fame are secondary to him. Some readers may lament the absence of superstar gossip, particularly about Dylan, but these reminiscences, mostly of the '60s scene, steer clear of such things. He fondly remembers his heady Village days, describing endless all-night hootenannies and song-swapping sessions. Guitarists will especially appreciate the detailed description, with accompanying photographs, of Havens's unique open-tuning barre-chord method of playing. This is a generous book by an undeniably generous spirit. (Aug.)