I said, in my old column for Come For To Sing magazine out of Chicago, many of the good things being said here about the influence of "BILLY FAIR'S -- THE ART OF THE FIVE STRING BANJO" album on Riverside Records. That was World Music on a 5-string banjo for the first time that I know of. Every cut was an excursion into experimental territory. And one-time Weaver--Mudcatter, FRANK HAMILTON was Mr. Faier's guitar backup on that LP. It preceeded, and may have laid the groundwork for, DON RENO and then BILL KEITH to put fast melody line finger picked fiddle tunes into the Scruggs style of bluegrass banjo picking.

PETE SEEGER'S early ten inch LP for Folkways Records called THE GOOFING OFF SUITE, also showed this new direction that was being explored by urban dwelling banjo pickers. BILLY FAIER sent me a very nice note for mentioning my feelings about his influence in my article about the Winnipeg Folk Festival fter returning from my gig there that year---1970 I think.

M.G.---This is not at all intended to be an attack on what, after all, is only your opinion. This is just my opinion.

Art Thieme