Songwriter Steve Goodman profiled

You've probably heard more about the people Clay Eals interviewed for his new book than the person whom the book is about.

Eals spent the past four years researching and writing a book called "Steve Goodman: Facing the Music." A songwriter and performer in the 1970s and early '80s, Goodman's most famous song was "City of New Orleans," which was made into a hit by Arlo Guthrie. A lyric from the song was the inspiration for the name of the TV program "Good Morning America."

Goodman also wrote "Banana Republics" and "This Hotel Room" for Jimmy Buffett.

Eals, a North Admiral resident and former editor of the West Seattle Herald, interviewed more than 1,100 people for the book. Among them were a score of musicians including Jackson Browne, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Randy Newman, Pete Seeger, Doc Watson and Loudon Wainwright III.

Goodman opened 200 times for comedian Steve Martin, who wrote that it took only about 30 seconds for Goodman to capture an audience.

The songwriter also worked with Carl Reiner and Martin Mull. Since Goodman was from Chicago, famed author Studs Terkel wrote the preface for Eals' new book.

Eals even interviewed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. She and Goodman were high school classmates and performed in a school variety show together.

The book itself is massive. There are more than 800 pages and it weighs 4 pounds.

Eals became interested in Steve Goodman after seeing him play guitar and sing in Eugene, Ore. in 1977. A solo tenor, Goodman was the opening act for Randy Newman.

"He's the best performer I ever saw," Eals said. He also admired Goodman's lyrics.

"I wooed my wife with Goodman songs," Eals said.

Goodman was diagnosed with leukemia at age 20 but continued songwriting and performing another 15 years until his death at age 35. Goodman died at the University of Washington Medical Center after a bone-marrow transplant in 1984.

"He was very inspiring to me," Eals said. "He's an example of someone who knows how to live life."

Eals also felt tested writing a book about someone who isn't a household name.

"I liked the journalistic challenge of this," he said. "There are no books about him and the guy's dead. That really fuels me. Why write the 50th book on Elvis?"

Eals loves the communication power of music and he's interested in how Goodman lived life fully.

"My desire was to contribute something to the world that addresses how do we live this finite life," he said. "What are you going to do before you die? What are we all going to do? There's a compelling story in every life."

Now is a good time for a book like this, Eals said, because the Iraq war seems like an echo of the Vietnam war to some of the baby boom generation.

"There are many issues mirrored today," he said.

The song "City of New Orleans" is about mortality and the end of an era, he said. The lyrics say the train has just "15 cars and 15 restless riders, 3 conductors and 25 sacks of mail," Eals recites.

"Mortality is the thread of this book," Eals explained. Goodman wrote most of his songs after learning he had limited time to live.

Twenty years ago, Eals was editor of "West Side Story," the history book of West Seattle. He regretted not including an index in that book so people could find information more easily. His new book on Steve Goodman has a 23-page index.

Eals starts a national book tour this month Chicago. He'll be back in Seattle to participate in the Northwest Folklife Festival over Memorial Day weekend.

There will be a book-signing event June 14 at Capers in the Junction and another June 23 at the Log House Museum.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at timstc@robinsonnews.com or 932-0300.