"Sam Stone" by John Prine.
OK, boys and girls, back to the 70s: This Maywood, Illinois-born singer/songwriter/guitarist worked as a postman for 5 years before joining the Army. He was "discovered" by Roger Ebert and Kris Kristofferson while playing folk clubs in Chicago. A 1971 song about a drug-addicted Vietnam Vet with a Purple Heart succumbing to an overdose was a biting reminder of the heroin addiction problem among Vietnam Vets. Artist? Song?
Answer: "Sam Stone" by John Prine. "There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes...". Sad but masterful song. We had the privilege of seeing him twice on stage - two of the best concerts ever. His appearances on "Austin City Limits" are legendary. Very dexterous fingerstyle picker! He survived two cancers only to succumb to COVID-19 in 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVWEYUqGew&list=RDOLVWEYUqGew&start_radio=1
These were our contemporaries. I took care of so many of them while rotating through the VA Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. As many times as I've listened to "Sam Stone", it still tears me apart every time I hear it.
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