I had only been learning folk songs and struggling to get halfway competent on the guitar for about two and a half or three years when Pete Seeger came to Seattle to do a concert. It was held in the basement auditorium of Wesley House, the Methodist student organization, housed in a big, white colonial mansion across the street from the University of Washington. Pete was on a sort of whirlwind tour, and the concert was on a Tuesday night, October 5th, 1954.

I believe Pete flew in Monday, and he stayed with Walt Robertson, my mentor and teacher at the time. Pete sang an amazing panorama of songs to an auditorium of about ninety people Tuesday night. Almost three hours of great songs, including his "Goofing Off Suite" and "Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase."

He had indicated to Walt that he'd like to meet some of the local singers. And rather than being tired out, he was game for a late night song fest. A bunch of enthusiasts gathered at Carol Lee Waite's house about two blocks down the street and the singing commenced. After a couple of hours, several people had to leave (jobs or classes to get to in the morning), but about six of us hung in and Pete was still going strong.

We sat around cross-legged in the middle of Carol's living room and passed my recently acquired Martin 00-18 back and forth, asking questions, swapping songs and guitar licks, as in:

"What the heck is Leadbelly doing on the guitar in 'Black Girl?' A couple of odd-ball chords and I can't figure them out!"

"Here," says Pete, reaching for the guitar, "let me show you."

Absolutely unforgettable evening—and early morning! We finally broke up at about 5:00 a.m.

I met him again in 1957 when he did a concert in the basketball court size auditorium in Eagleson Hall, across from Wesley House. The afternoon before the concert, he did a sort of workshop, where once again he wanted to meet local singers and swap some songs with them. That night was another generous concert, complete with sign-alongs, to an enthusiastic audience.

During the concert, he introduced the crowd to the Trinidad steel drum, describing how local Trinidad musicians discovered that appropriate sized dents in the top of a 55 gallon oil drum could produce a musical tone when struck, and with enough appropriate sized dents, one could play a full scale or more.

And materials were cheap. The U. S. Navy had left the beaches of Trinidad strewn with discarded empty 55 gallon oil drums. The musicians would cut off the top of the drum down about six or eight inches and make a "pan," then work out the pattern of dents. You tune a steel drum with a hammer!

He then proceeded to play "Lullaby of Birdland" on his steel drum. Loud!!

The steel drum really caught on in the islands, and during festivals in particular, tourists heading for Trinidad can hear the steel drums far out at sea. It has since become associated with the music of Trinidad and the Caribbean in general.

Pete's a great guy. Generous with his music, and generous with any information that can help a budding folk song enthusiast.

Truly, one of Nature's Noblemen.

Happy birthday, Pete! And THANKS!!

Don Firth