John, thanks for filling in the details and clarifying things.

I learned the general history of hootenannies from Walt Robertson and Ken Prichard back in 1952, when they were planning the first hootenanny there'd been in some time. I'd heard the gag about a goat/owl hybrid as enunciated by Mark, above (I didn't know there was a poem; I heard it on a Spike Jones record), but Walt and Ken clued me in as to its application to gatherings of folk singers, and they did mention the connection with unions. Ken, incidentally, ran The Chalet restaurant in the U. District (basement of Eagleson Hall) where the hootenanny was held. That was the first one I ever attended, with my $10.00 apple-crate guitar and my repertoire of about eight songs. It wasn't until I read Seeger's The Incompleat Folksinger that I learned the term was first applied to such events here in Seattle.

[By the way, John, the Wi-Fi's working fine. Thanks a million! As soon as Barbara gets some of her activities organized, we'll give you a call.]

Don Firth