The 'folk' world was something else. I recall Mike Porco giving me a suede jacket because I had no jacket to wear and it was gettin' to be winter. He also hired me at $50/week to be the MC at Gerde's Folk City--can't recall the year, but I do recall that $50 was a fair amount of money back then. I was mediocre as a stage performer, but thanks to that experience I was able to meet many great folkies, and they were always willing to show me stuff on guitar or talk about performance and stage 'presence'. And Joe Marra of the Night Owl Cafe let me wash pots and pans about twice a week for $10 and all the tuna fish sandwiches I could eat. They were wonderful people. It was in the Night Owl that I saw the biggest freakin' cockroach in the entire City of New York. NO exaggerration/egzageration/exageration bull, it was at least three inches long. I was gonna swat it, but I figured that any creature that was able to live as long as it obviously had didn't need some snot-nosed kid ending its life. I later mentioned to Joe that the cockroach was there and he said he knew.

And some wonderful folks who never did let the lights and audiences' praise get to them. People like Jesse Colin Young--as nice and unassuming a person as y'ad ever want to meet. And a GREAT musician. Pat Sky who may be one of the funniest people anyone ever ever met--but also a person who taught me what songwriting really is. He was magic to see on stage and quite humble about being one of the best songwriters to come down the pike.

I think y'all are aware that Mark Ross frequents this forum. He is another songwriter who paid his dues and held his ground. The way he is today in terms of beliefs about the dignity of all people and the dignity of all labour--he was like that when he was just a kid in that folk scene. A man of true convictions and openness grew out of a kid with true convictions and openness.

As for Ron Bankley: I can't say enough about what a wonderful guy he is. As a musician? Plain and simple: WOW. Actually brings a few tears to my eyes when I consider that I have a friend like him.

Anyway, Soldier Boy, you have a great thread here. And thank you for your kind words.