Hi,

Lee was a complex guy. When he was at the top of his form he was one of the funniest humorists I ever had come across. When we were on the road with the Weavers in New England, Lee would look out of the car window and spot a historical marker. At the concert that night he would tell about historical markers. Historical marker, 900 feet ahead. You have just passed a historical marker. He could do twenty minutes on the subject and crack us all up.

Here's this guy who was an Arkansas preacher and emissary from Commonwealth Folk School taking all of his friends out to dinner on his Diner's Club Card. Usta' like to ride around in Cadillacs.

Lee was a mystery story writer free-lance. I never got to read his stuff, though.

He never liked to rehearse with the Weavers. Usta' drive Erik Darling crazy. Actually didn't bother me 'cause I didn't like to rehearse that much either.

Garrison Keillor reminds me of Lee in many ways. I always thought Garrison might be a combination of Lee and Major Bowes, from the Major Bowes Amateur Hour in the forties on radio. Garrison sings bass parts like Lee.

I think his bass singing parts were really unique. He was a great entertainer.

In concerts he usta' talk about "that town drunk, Ethan Allan who had too much and stormed Fort Ticonderoga." Lee knew his history and about the real people, not the white-washed grammar school history book stick figures.

Lee was a historian, story-teller extraordinaire, a comedian and folksinger all wrapped up into one big guy.

When we went on the road, he liked to sit in his hotel room in different cities and watch TV. Got a regional feel I guess.

He had his opinions about music and performance all right. He could be very outspoken and pulled no punches. Look out! He had this wry folk Mencken-type humor too.

He loved Cisco. Wrote some songs with him Lee wanted to be a hit songwriter. Some of his tunes really did well. "Seven Daffodils". Had a sister in North Carolina around Chapel Hill. Wrote some songs with her.

I better stop or you'll have to get the hook! 1963 was quite a year. Weavers on tour. Beatles came out on Capitol Records. Face of folk revival changed. Boom.

Frank Hamilton