Thanks for revitalizing this thread ... it's a fun one! I didn't have to think for one second about what was my "absolute best audience." It happened a couple of years ago, in 1960. I, and several of my Seattle singer friends were invited for the weekend down to Clarke Junior College, in the town of Vancouver, Washington ... just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.

We all arrived on a Friday night and were spread around the faculty homes for supper and housing and a hoot. We spent all day Saturday scattered around the campus doing various workshops. Saturday night was a series of small concerts and a hoot.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I was sick ... very sick. My throat had seized up and I could barely croak. I knew I was in deep trouble as I was supposed to sing the big concert that night.

I drove off and found the nearest pharmacy. It was very small and the druggist was quite elderly and looked tired. I explained my problem. He asked me to sit down for a while. He went into his back room, got out a mortar and pestle, remember those, and proceeded to make me a medicinal treatment. I actually went into his private area and helped him mix this stuff up. He advised me to stop talking for the rest of the day, swallow as much of this stuff as I could stand.

I kept quiet all day. It was only ten minutes before the concert that Sunday night that I tried to sing. In the dressing room, I vocalized a little, and it felt O.K., but just O.K.

I walked on stage, struck a chord, threw back by head and let her rip! Oh ... it was grand! I'd NEVER had a voice like that. My range and pitch were perfect, from the highest notes to the lowest. And also from the loudest to the whisper soft. I was very pleased and relieved.

And most of all, I captured the audience in the palm of my hand. Where ever I wanted to take them, they went willingly. Story songs, ballads, sing-a-longs.

The next morning, as we were leaving town, I happened to grab a Portland newspaper. I was amazed to find that I was reviewed. And the reviewer said ... "I was a relaxed as Perry Como and he had the audience in my hand."

My only regret was that I did not track down that druggist and go into business with him.

To quote a line from a famous movie starring Jane Fonda ... "Oh, it was swell!."

CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson