My tall tales and jokelore were almost always used to set up the song--even the big ballads. I was often playing for folks who knew nothing of our revival (i.e. gigs on the Mississippi River) The tales and one-liners could bring them to the place where they were receptive. Often they told me they could see that I was striving to save the old songs from American history and balladry. Whenever that happened, I knew I was doing what I had set out to do.

Before the humor, I was quite serious beyond belief. The humor is the real me too. Two sides of the same coin.

Picture Lou Killen without his tales of Newcastle Brrroooon Eehl. I can't conjur that one up---and I don't want to.

Art Thieme
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