Hello Haruo ... I haven't seen you in a while. I guess I need to get myself down to a Seattle song circle again!

This "blending" of the voices and images of "The Old Settler" makes the point that, even after at least 125 years, this ballad is as alive and vital as it was when it was written. As a collector and performer of "traditional Ballads, I frequantly sing ballads much older, such as "The Braes of Yarrow, "The Unquiet Grave", etc.

Your confusion as to who is singing, Ivar or me, delights me no end. Ivar sat me down in 1962 and "taught" me his version. And after 49 years, I still sing it "his way", in the same key, and our guitars are still in tune! That's just amazing to me ... I wonder if Ivar is laughing in his grave!

To help you remember who is who, this might help: Ivar is dead, I'm the handsome guy with the beard. NO, WAIT A MINUTE, I see that Paul also has a beard! Oh well, if you watch the beginning of the film again, you'll see that we each have a name attached to us. And at my age of 174, I think that's a handy idea ... maybe my wife Judy could put my name on my shirts and I could remember just who I am!

CHEERS, bob nelson