At the first University of Chicago Folk Festival in 1961 a group from Madison, Wisconsin played at the open stage. They were so good they were asked to do a set at the evening concert in Mandel Hall that night. The guys went on stage and were introduced as Marshall Brickman and Troup. All I recall from that show was that they did a loose version of Rev. Gary Davis' song "If I Had My Way". I think it was Brickman, Danny Kalb, maybe Weisberg and Prestopino too. There were 5 or 6 guys in that long ago impromptu group of friends taking in this all traditional American music folk festival. February 3, 4 and 5, 1961. The festival is still going strong in 2000---forty years later. I think the Greebriar Boys were at the third U. of C. Folk Festival. I've still got a slide of Ralph Rinzler on stage sitting in with the New Lost City Ramblers and the great autoharper Kilby Snow.

What wonderful music came out of those festivals---when the GREAT traditional roots informants/artists were still with us. From here, looking back, what a grand priviledge it was to be able to hang out and soak up the music. And then I was hired to play at 3 of the later festivals. Whenever I'd walk out on that Mandel Hall stage where Frank Warner and Frank Proffit, Jean Carignan and Allan Mills, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe and Kenny Baker, Elizabeth Cotten, Horton Barker, Roscoe Holcomb, Jean and Edna Ritchie, Muddy Waters, Booker "Bukka" T. Washington White, Sandy Paton, Almeda Riddle, Dewey Balfa, Bob Atcher, Glenn Ohrlin, Johnny Gimball, Rev. Gary Davis, Willie Dixon, Nahville's Tom T. Hall -- and so many more. Yes, when I would walk out on that same stage, I could feel the spirits of ALL of those marvelous singers and musicians buoying me up and saying, "Go ahead, kid -- show 'em what you've found." And what a kick and a half it was for me to be there.

Thanks for letting me perpetrate this blatant thread creep.

Art Thieme