Well, I'll join in on the side of love of folk music preceding the beard. I got into folk music big time in the mid-60s in college and didn't grow a beard until 1975. I grew it for two reasons -- I wanted to see what I'd look like and I was debating getting into Ware Between the States re-enacting (clean shaven men in the 1860s was a rarity). I liked it fine once it filled out and really liked the not shaving part so I kept it. Still have it but of course it has now gone from a medium brown with red highlights to gray/white.

SC