It saddens me to hear of Merritt's illness.

I first met Merritt at the 1960 Berkeley Folk Festival (Cryderville Jail kept playing in my head for weeks afterward, but frustratingly enough, I couldn't remember all the words!), and when the Seattle Song Circle first got going in summer of 1977, he was a regular every Sunday evening, even though he had to commute to and from Bainbridge Island, where he was living at the time.

During my perambulations through the folk music scene since I first picked up a guitar in the early Fifties, I've had the honor and pleasure of meeting some of the best singers around—and some of the most famous singers. Sometimes these were not necessarily the same people. Merritt may not be numbered among the best known folk singers in the country, but he is certainly among the best of the best singers. Big repertoire of great songs, beautiful, strong singing voice, and most important of all, a beautiful person—one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

Our love and our thoughts are with him.

Don Firth

P.S.: Where can I get Merritt's CD? Gotta have it!