I guess I started a bit late compared to some people here. I first started singing at songfests and parties when I was about 22 (this was in 1953). Walt Robertson occasionally took me along when he had a performance to do, and a couple of times (at house concerts) he had me sing a few songs. But I had the security of his being there to smooth things over if I blew it. Dick Landberg, another friend of mine and I used to do occasional programs at hospitals and retirement homes, for audiences of maybe thirty or forty. At the time, neither Dick nor I had very large repertoires, but between the two of us, we could cobble together a reasonable program.

My first time to really go solo was at a hospital in Denver, where I was undergoing physical therapy. They decided to have a "talent show" in the dining room and could I do, maybe, three or four songs? Sure, I said. I thought there would be an audience of thirty or forty at most, but when I walked in, I discovered that they had pushed all the tables against the walls and set the chairs up in rows. Patients, doctors, staff, and some visitors were all there -- about 250 altogether! My hands were trembling so bad I could hardly play the accompaniment to my first song, but I managed to blunder through and got a good round of applause. After I did the next two songs, they wanted an encore! I wasn't going to be lynched after all!

I discovered that singing and getting applause for it is highly addictive.

Don Firth