I was Billy Vanaver's den chief when he was a cub scout. I met him again when I ran the Sunday afternoon sings at the Gilded Cage in Philadelphia in the 50's and 60's. He was one of a host of talented folksinger at those sessions which included Dick Weissman (later to form The Journeymen), John Pilla (before he started working for Eric Anderson and Arlo), Benjie Aaronoff, Jerry Ricks (he's Philadelphia Jerry Ricks, now), Marshal Freedland (he, later, joined the DeCormier Singers), Saul Broudie, Harry Tufts (pride of The Denver Folklore Center) and that's just who I can remember off the top of my head. I am trying to reach as many of the old gang as I can for purposes of reunion and literature. Survivors can reach me at musicmic@peoplepc.com
This is a wonderful thread. We should probably include those pioneers who ushered in the folk boom by keeping the flame in the late 40's, people like Win Strake, Sam Hinton, Richard Dyer Bennet and George Britton.

                     Mike