Legendary singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester passed away seven years ago on April 11, 2014. On this episode of Art of the Song we honor his life and his music with a special tribute. We've combined our 2007 interview with a selection of Jesse's songs performed by him and covered by other artists.

Jesse fled to Canada during the Vietnam era to avoid the draft. Unable to find employment, he began honing his craft as a songwriter. According to Jesse, “If I had remained in America, I doubt that I’d ever have written a song or made any records. I just kind of drifted into music.”

Jesse Winchester’s songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Emmylou Harris, Jonathan Edwards, Reba McEntire, Wilson Pickett, Bonnie Raitt and Waylon Jennings. We had the privilege of interviewing Jesse in 2007 at the Boston Folk Festival. Here’s that interview with a few new songs thrown in for good measure. We include Jesse’s performances as well as covers of his songs by notable artists.