A folk legend lived his life at double speed while battling a fatal diagnosis.
In short: Steve Goodman was a prolific Chicago songwriter who penned American standards like City of New Orleans. Diagnosed with leukemia in his early twenties, he lived with the constant awareness of his own mortality, channeling that urgency into a career that produced enduring hits and a deep, lifelong devotion to the Cubs.
Born in 1948, Steve Goodman grew up in a middle-class Chicago suburb. By his late teens, he was already performing, though his trajectory shifted in 1969 when he discovered that his persistent fatigue was caused by leukemia. This diagnosis defined his remaining years; his wife later noted that he lived as if he were racing against time, extracting profound meaning from the mundane while keeping his illness at bay through sheer willpower.
Goodman’s breakthrough came after a chance encounter with Arlo Guthrie at a Chicago bar. He successfully convinced Guthrie to listen to his song City of New Orleans—a track inspired by a train trip—for the duration of a single beer. Guthrie’s subsequent recording became a top-20 hit in 1972, transforming Goodman’s life and establishing him as a songwriter of national stature. His work was later covered by artists ranging from Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash, and he eventually received a posthumous Grammy for Best Country Song in 1985.
Beyond his folk success, Goodman was a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan. His song Go, Cubs, Go was written out of frustration after a team executive dismissed his earlier, more somber tribute to the team as too depressing. Today, the anthem is a staple at Wrigley Field. Goodman passed away in 1984 at age 36, and in 1988, some of his ashes were scattered at the stadium, fulfilling a wish he had articulated in his own lyrics.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Steve Goodman
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-steve-goodman.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
