Fred Neil's biggest hit was in a version by someone else. His guitar style is best known because of his influence on other people. He released only a handful of albums, played live around New York City, but made a major impression on everyone who saw or heard him. Then he quit the business, moved to Florida, and spent the last half of his life as a champion of the dolphin, passing away in July 2001 at the age of 65. Although labels courted him, looking for another record, he turned them all down. 1963-1971 is about it. Raven, the antediluvian re-issue company, has captured the best of those years on this new anthology.

Named after a line in that biggest hit, "Everybody's Talkin'" (which became a hit as recorded by Harry Nilsson), Echoes Of My Mind presents a rich and balanced selection of his recordings. Buddy Holly had recorded a couple of his songs in the '50s; Neil had appeared on the Grand Old Opry while still in his teens; but it was as part of Greenwich Village's Folk Circuit that he made his biggest impact.

The CD begins with two songs from a folk music anthology. After an effusive introduction from whoever was the host that night, Neil plays the traditional "Liunin' Track" followed by his own blues amalgam "The Sky Is Fallin'." Both songs feature his deep baritone over an ever-moving guitar line. This would be his sound for his whole short career.

The next three tunes come from a duet album he recorded with Vince Martin. The partnership seems pretty one-sided from these three examples. Martin blows some decent harmonica, but it's Neil's driving guitar and his unique vocal stylings that really stand out. These three are followed by eight selections from his classic Bleecker and MacDougal LP. These are some of his best-known songs. "Blues On the Ceiling," "Little Bit of Rain," "Other Side of This Life," and "Candy Man" all show his mastery of the 12-string guitar, and that voice! Richie Havens, the Jefferson Airplane, Roy Orbison and many others would cover Fred's songs, to much greater commercial success than Neil ever managed. Oh, by the way . . . harmonica on Bleecker and MacDougal was provided by John Sebastian, and Felix Pappalardi played bass!

All these songs and we're only up to 1965! The first song of Neil's that I ever heard is next on the play list. A folk duet I used to share stages with sang "The Dolphins" every night. I loved this song, probably best known in a rendition by Tim Buckley, but Fred Neil's is the definitive recording! The 1967 album from which "The Dolphins" came was an attempt to beef up Neil's sound. Producer Nik Venet brought in musicians Billy Mundi (drums), Cyrus Faryar (electric guitar), and Canned Heat's Al Wilson (harmonica) to give Fred a little more commercial potential! It didn't work. And yet it did produce perhaps his finest album. Fred Neil is represented by seven tracks, including "Everybody's Talkin'."

Venet produced a second album they called Sessions. According to the excellent liner notes (by Richie Unterberger), David Crosby felt that this album was "the most honest thing he'd ever heard in his entire life." Nevertheless the album was hidden in the "various folk" bins of local record stores, if it was stocked at all. The two samples from sessions are particularly depressing. Slow versions of the original "Felicity," and a very blue "Please Send Me Somebody To Love." Very nice guitar playing though!

The collection ends with three tunes from a 1971 album which was put together with a live side, and a side of alternate or unreleased takes. "Roll On Rosie" is a live track, and it fairly rocks. "Come Back Baby" features Les McCann on piano, which separates it from the rest of the guitar-based music. Raven ends the CD with Fred's duet with Gram Parsons on the traditional "Ya Don't Miss Your Water." Parsons plays piano and sings. Neil plays some forceful guitar, and the two singers challenge each other, til they come to a ragged conclusion.