The riverboat captain is a storyteller. Captain Don Sanders shares the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life. This a part of a long and continuing story.

By Capt. Don Sanders

Special to NKyTribune

Twenty-four years ago this past week, my friend John Hartford died. John was best known as a fiddle and banjo-playing bluegrass musician who wrote the three-time Grammy Award-winning tune, “Gentle On My Mind.” However, before he gained fame in the music world, John dreamed of becoming a steamboat pilot.

Born John Cowan Harford on December 30, 1937, in New York City, to parents Carl and Mary Harford, he grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, near the Mississippi River, which influenced his life and later, his music. On the advice of musician Chet At

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