About Steve Goodman

Steve Goodman Discography

In Memory of Steve Goodman.

Steve Goodman was born July 25, 1948 on the North Side of Chicago. His family was fairly well off and after earning a little more money, his parents moved the family to the northern suburbs of the city. It was there that he began writing songs and singing in small clubs around the area. In 1965 he graduated from Maine East High School and began attending classes at the University of Illinois.

His time in college encouraged him to focus on music. Goodman joined the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity where he met Steve Hartmenn and Ron Banyon. The three men formed the band The Juicy Fruits and set about performing covers of popular songs. After just a year he quit college to focus on music and started playing at the Chicago club Earl of Old Town. He achieved a high level of fans in his hometown and attempted to head east to New York, but eventually returned to Chicago. He continued to play small clubs and bars while also taking courses at Lake Forest College.

To pay for college and living expenses, Goodman turned to advertising jingles. Singing and writing jingles afforded him to the opportunity to keep playing nightclubs. Goodman had returned to Chicago in 1969 and that same year he learned that he had leukemia. He soldiered on and eventually met Nancy Pruter, a student and waitress. The two began dating and married just a few months later. He continued to battle his leukemia and during periods of remission focused on his writing. Goodman and critics alike have stated that his music came from his struggles with the cancer.

In 1971 Steve Goodman appeared on the record Gathering at The Earl of Old Town. That year he opened for Kris Kristofferson at a local club and Kristofferson later introduced him to Paul Anka. Anka had Goodman do a demo in New York, which led to a contract with Buddha Records. Arlo Guthrie heard Goodman play City of New Orleans and decided to record it for himself, which led to a Top 20 song. That led to a career as a songwriter.

In 1974 Goodman saw another one of his songs become a hit: You Never Even Call Me By My Name, recorded by David Allan Coe. Around this time he also recorded his biggest song The Dutchman. He also wrote and recorded Go, Cubs, Go a song about the Chicago Cubs that's still played at games today. He formed his own record label Red Pajamas Records and won two Grammy Awards, one of which was awarded after his death. He passed away on September 20, 1984 from leukemia in Seattle, Washington.

There are many websites devoted to Steve Goodman such as: