I first met Don in about 1966/7 in London. I was working in a Bank at the time, and he came in most days to change all the coins he had collected that day. Many were foreign of course, but he usually had 20 or 30 quid - a DAY - and this was when I was earning 10 quid a WEEK. He also came and played at our folk club - Surbiton Assembly Rooms.

Shortly after that the 'Rosie' thing happened and he was all over the telly, mainly because of the novelty aspect of the 'one man band'. The media has always liked these sort of quirky stories.

He then ended up on the oblgatory tour of theatres and arts centres, which apparently he hated, and the stories of his antics are legendary.

For a short while, if my memory serves me right, he formed a band called Accolade, which also included the young Gordon Giltrap. Nothing came of it and he went back to busking, which was probably more lucrative anyway.

I lost contact with him until probably the 80s, when I saw him busking in Warwick Market Place, and he used to pop up at some of the local folk clubs occasionally. I think he was living in Leicestershire at the time. He also came and played at one of the clubs I was involved in, the legendary Freemasons in Coventry (But that's another story, and another thread). This must have been early 80s. Not seen him since. Good to hear he's still at it.

And, is he STILL wearing that snakeskin jacket? It was genuine you know (not very pc these days).