Jim...

Sorry I'm late in thanking you for the reply. The kids had a soccer tournament in Birmingham ( I now live in Alabama ).

I actually knew Josh White, Jr.-known as Donnie White to his friends-better than I knew the Old Man. I worked with and for Don in the late sixties, our personal managers were the same, a guy named Chuck Ramsey, who apprenticed with Len Rosenfeld, who was Josh Sr.'s manager for years.

I grew up in Baltimore, worked at the old Blue Dog Cellar in the early sixties, where I met and hung out with a number of the "folk stars" of that time, one of whom was Josh White, Sr. I recall a very late invite-only midnight set he did at the Blue Dog after a concert at the Lyric. Very intimate, very close, just him and Turbo Attenborough on that tiny, tiny stage doin' all the chestnuts. It was very impressive. In early '65 I joined a less than notable folk group called The Just IV and headed for NYC. The first gig I ever played with them was at the old Swan Dinner Theater in Milwaukee, opening for Josh Sr.

The Old Man was quite a character. Loved his Chivas Regal, his Continental, and the ladies. He used Black Diamond Strings and broke one every night I'm sure, just so he could do Tobacco Road. He passed away on the operating table in New York during open heart surgery in 1968 or thereabouts. He was only 54, I think, but had led a hell of a life.

My friendship continues to this day with Donnie White although I haven't seen him for many years. He is a charming, sensitive, funny, very talented man who recently did a cd of his father's songs. He does them almost, almost dead on like Sr. did. Look for it.

Hope these tidbits will help fill out your appreciation of Josh's life. He was truly an original, a polished, performin' blues man.

Skip Brooks