Public service, working for the betterment of our world, was always a mission for us. We wrote it into our music and turned out for demonstrations and began organizing when voting wasn’t enough. When that wasn’t enough, John ran for office. He became a legislator in Ulster County, a Saugerties school board president and much later, a congressman.

With Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and Graham Nash, we created MUSE  (Musicians United for Safe Energy). It took over two years to organize a series of all-star concerts at Madison Square Garden in September 1979. A film and a triple record album added to the ticket sales to raise millions for grassroots anti-nuclear, pro-solar, wind and geothermal organizations. I think more than anything, it was a consciousness-raiser.

Of course, there were endless benefits for causes. One morning, sitting with Robbie Dupree and Artie Traum in a breakfast place in Woodstock, someone came to our table to request a benefit appearance. Very seriously, Artie said he would do it when an orthodontist did a root canal onstage. Making the point that other professions don’t get hit up. Artie and his brother Happy were benefit kings, always showing up. But that day, Artie’s wit came forward.