Wayfaring Stranger By Juan El Grande

 

Wayfaring Stranger

By

Juan El Grande

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

When I turned to my writing desk for today’s literature action, I wasn’t expecting to be writing about a song that I remembered from years back, decades in fact, I can still remember Johnny Cash and that version in my mind’s eye today, however time is a fickle mistress, and this old folk gospel classic rears its head again, this time from singer songwriter Juan El Grande from Barcelona in Spain, and what a moving and artistic version of the almighty Wayfaring Stranger it is too.

Known for his hits “Another Hero’s Gone”, “Born to Be” and others, El Grande takes this timeless standard and breathes fresh life and colour into it. The walking acoustic line on guitar, and the opening vocals remind me very much of Netherlands singer songwriter Paul Vens in tone.

Here though El Grande flows with the rhythm of the piece, the slight additional percussive element aids his journey and the grateful listeners are gifted a memory box of a piece, one that will remind them fondly of their happy childhood days perhaps.

It’s always a hard thing recreating a timeless classic like this, but in my view Juan El Grande has manifested something warming to listen to here on this version that will be appreciated by fans of folk and the singer songwriter genre the globe over, as once again Wayfaring Stranger becomes a hit all over again.