What a wonderful thread! I am a musician with a mentally disabled (actually the PC term now is developmentally disabled) daughter who is now 14. Corrina doesn't play anything (not so good coordination) but she is a great singer and a great appreciator of the music. Nothing pleases her more than to lay down on the couch when there are people in the room playing and singing. When people come over to the house, the first thing she asks them is if they're going to play music.

I have been thinking a lot about what kind of living situation Corrina would be in as an adult. One thing I definitely have wanted is for her to be in a living situation where people are playing music. She is somewhat of a musical snob, i.e. she knows the difference between good music and bad music, no matter what genre. She has always had incredible understanding of intonation, and also of subtle stuff like vocal ornamentation. In fact if any of you have ever read the liner notes to one of Kate Brislin & Jody Stecher's album in which they mention a small child who identified the Stanley Brothers as Kate & Jody, that was Corrina.

Anyway reading your messages gave me hope that we could eventually set up something for her once she is an adult that could include music. The folkie community is truly incredible! Suzy Thompson