Medicine Man

MUSICIANS: Michael Martin Murphey-Vocals & Acoustic Guitar; Pat Flynn-Lead Acoustic Guitar; Ryan Murphey-Rhythm Acoustic Guitar; Craig Nelson-Acoustic Bass; Andy Hall-Dobro; Andy Leftwich-Fiddle, Charlie Cushman-Banjo, Ronnie McCoury-Mandolin.

Guy Dull Knife, Sr., fraternal grandson “Dull Knife” of the Cheyenne, inspired this song. When I met him, he was the sole-survivor of his people from WWI. His grandfather was originally named “Morning Star”, but he changed his name to “Dull Knife” when he signed the Treaty at Fort Laramie, in which he promised “never to sharpen his knife against the white people again”. But the U.S. broke the treaty, and “Dull Knife” became an outlaw for his people. I met “Guy Dull Knife” in South Dakota in 1974, when working on material for my album”Blue Sky Night Thunder”. “Old Guy” was a Medicine Man to the Lakotas, and an activist for Lakota rights- carrying on his grandfather’s tradition. He adopted me into his family on his death-bed. I was given an eagle feather by his family at the funeral.