My Gawd, this is interesting, and perhaps all the more so because we have a manageable "listening group" in this thread, which has allowed the story tellers to stay focused. When I first joined Mudcat, I envisioned this kind of interaction as the norm. Needless to say, as the site became more popular because of it's friendliness, it started to reflect the images of a "mainstream" community (which is OK, AND inevitable) and discussions like this often focused on mainstream (and commercially successful) artists. To hear about the incredibly full and complex life of someone who I'd only known as a name in a Folkways catalogue, is an unbelievable treat. A couple of thoughts come to mind, however.

There probably were a dozen or so "major" folk communities in North America during the mid fifties through the sixties, but ninety percent of the attention was focused on the New York one. Sing-Out would occasionally mention goings-on in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and even my home of Toronto. Usually when any other area was mentioned it was because ONE person had the right politics and kept the magazine informed. Three or four times a year they'd mention Jenny Wells Vincent, in New Mexico, or Ernie Marrs (in Atlanta?) or Will McLean in Florida. Walt didn't even get that kind of notoriety, so I would have had no way of knowing whether ANYONE played a guitar (Martin or otherwise) in the Pacific Northwest. Hell I barely knew what the Pacific Northwest was!

I'm sure there are thousands more like myself who became well-informed but in a strictly "NEW YORK-CENTRIC" way. Mudcat has occasionaly been quite helpful in that way. On a number of occasions I've bugged Art Theime for "Chicago stories", and have tried to give a picture myself, of the Toronto Folk scene.

It's great to hear about the songs, but to learn about you folks and your friend Walt....well, better late than never!

Thanks again

Rick