Dear Lyle - how nice to be able to get to a 'festival' of 'folk' anywhere anytime. Walnut Valley is not the biggest or the best, it is one of the biggest. Best? you know something Lyle, I wonder . Last year and the year before there were 100s of bluegrass groups - and very few oldtime duets. Amazing - I woul've thought that those little bands were the source of the few great hoedown tunes out here. Seems the organisers agree - course I did not call em on the phone or anything - kinda like the nose on yer face, it was OBVIOUS.

Folk and festivals, well used to be a County Fair and a bunch of farmers pickin under a tree but then that was folk. No fences no money changing hands just good healthy folk music clean and simple. Still happens but I would not want to ruin something very special by advertising where and when.

Woody Guthrie - there were many not just a few Nationaly known artists just driftin around the place, can't say I was surprised after all Woody was the first commercial REALfolk singer - he actualy believed in what he did. The Okemah festival can only get bigger. While on the subject they charged $5=00 to get in any day and $5=00 to camp the whole week end. There were more young folk there than at any festival I've seen in many a long year, and they could pick as well/here I mean bring home the bacon if ya know what I'm takin bout. No beer/??? sessions. Yup definitely a family folk festival. In fact if I had to bring my family to a festival it would be Okemah.