The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #16617   Message #155912
Posted By: bpliskin@cyburban.com
30-Dec-99 - 09:38 PM
Thread Name: Help: Anybody know Billy FAIRE?
Subject: RE: Help: Anybody know Billy FAIRE?
I was a friend of Billy's in the '50s too. One adventure with Billy: I was walking west toward Sheridan Square, passing the Circle in the Square's theatre, when out walks Billy. "Hi; what you doing there?" or words to that effect, said I. "I'm playing here; I introduce the 2nd act" or words to that effect said he. The production was "Dark of the Moon", Jose Quintero's second with Circle in the Square. "Want to do it with me?" asks he. "Sure" said I, and I came with my guitar for the next show, and for several more performances we played to introduce the 2nd act. We played "Charlie's neat and Charlie's sweet and Charlie he's a dandy", I recall. However, after 2 or 3 performances Billy stopped coming, leaving the job to me alone. Since I enjoyed it, I kept going--approximately for 1 month, until I got called up by my draft board. That occured at the end of Jan., '51, and I left for Ft. Devins on 1 Feb.

I didn't see Billy after that until maybe 10 years ago, when he showed up at my friends, Rod and Naomi Hill's, annual Halloween Hoot. He was living at that time in Woodstock, and may still be doing so. He said that he was known locally as "The Old Coot With The Banjo".