Joe and I had completely different types of songs to show people. But we both loved the story songs---the long ones. I only met him once. We were at Lisa Null's festival at Wesleyan U. in Connecticut--along with Peter Ballamy & Lou Killen. What a singers festival that was. But I was there to represent the Chicago high-rise Midwestern tradition of folk music. I loved Joe's songs even though I had no idea what his gaelic words were sayin'. Joe took to my songs and I've never been more honored---but I sure was surprised to see that. Back in the midwest, I took his tune from "Morrissey And The Russian Sailor" and used it for a Wisconsin lumberjack song that had, I thought, a boring tune--"The Shanty Boy On The Big Eau Clair". (Hell, I've never told anyone the truth o' that before.Not proud--simply is a fact.) Lucy Simpson kept us both informed of the others doings through his last years. And when Joe died it was Lucy and many others who coordinated collecting money to put a stone/marker on Joe's grave in Ireland which, up to that point, was bare.

Art Thieme