I was 12 years old (1949) when I met my first folksginger. He was Bill Higley (Willy Wa Willy) and had just married a family friend. He proved to be a pivotal person in my life. Over the next ten years, with Bills' tutoring, I became a pretty fair folksinger myself. I learned my craft, educated myself, built a considerable repetoire. Seattle was a very exciting place in those days. Every weekend night one could find gatherings (hoots). The city semed alive with music, good, bad but folk music. As soon as I got my car, my guitar and I were gone most every night. I made many new and exciting friends. Soon we were meeting and singing with some very prestigous people who lived in the mansions. It was a heady time. As my reputation grew, I started making money singing for various orginizations, labor groups, various committees. I also became aware of the politics of the time. I watched the McCarthy hearing on T.V. I read about the Washington state committees to investigate local communists. I read about the supposed Communists that were members of the U.W. facilty. I soon realized that I was singing at the homes of many of these people. By now, at the age of 17, I was also "President" of the Seattle Folk Music Society, predeccesor to the present Seattle Folk Lore Society. Many of these same people were strong members of our club. I also realized that these so called communists had the BEST SONGS! About the time I was 18, and just out of High school, two things happened that really caused me to make a decision on the issue of so called "pinkos": I was visited by the FBI and I went into the Army. More later. CHEERS, Bob Nelson