Apparently, according to Bob Dylan ,
it was Butterfield’s birthday on the 17th December
He died in 1987 and would have been 82
Butterfield was an inspiration
and I met him in NYC in 1981 I think
I WAS FILLING IN FOR MY FRIEND STEVE
AT THE MILLS TAVERN ON BLEECKER ST
ONE NIGHT
IT WAS WHAT WE CALLED A DIVE BAR
JACO PASTORIUS AMONG OTHERS
USED TO GO THERE LATE AT NIGHT
AND COP THEIR MEDICATIONS
CHARLIE OWNED MILLS TAVERN
HE WAS ALWAYS IN A BAD MOOD
AND WHEN PEOPLE WHO HE DIDN’T LIKE
CAME INTO THE BAR HE WOULD BRANDISH A 2×4
THAT HE KEPT BEHIND THE BAR
AND YELL “GET OUTAHEAH YA LOUSY COCKSUCKERS”
SO, AFTER THE SET
PAUL BUTTERFIELD ,
WHO HAD BEEN LISTENING AT THE BAR
COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS
“JUST KEEP PLAYING FROM THE HEART
AND DON’T WORRY WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING”
WELL I DID’NT KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY WAS SAYING
BUT YEARS LATER A MUSICIAN FRIEND
WHO WAS A BIG FAN OF BUTTERFIELD
AND POSSIBLY INTRODUCED ME TO HIS MUSIC
WOULDN’T EVEN JAM WITH ME
SO, THANKS, PAUL BUTTERFIELD,
FOR THE ENCOURAGING WORDS
YOU SAID TO ME
ALL THOSE YEARS AGO