When I first began to play and sing folk songs, "Sing Out!" was an indispensable publication for all us youngsters in the 1950's. I still have a number of the older, more compact publications from that era, with great tips on playing and performing, excellent thought-provoking articles and a wonderful trove of songs. Like many young people in the Eisenhower years, I was essentially apolitical. The music was more my meat. I woke up, like many others, when Jack Kennedy lived and died.

Since I have not seen the magazine in many years, I have no way to compare. It sounds like "Sing Out!" is struggling to keep its audience in this era of an exploding array of electronic alternatives. In this they are far from unique. People get both their music and their politics on-line, for the most part.