On my Cd I've included a song I sang for Bob when he could no longer play at a party he gave in Chicago. Her's the notes I wrote for the CD booklet.

Bob Gibson was one of those folks who influenced folks around Chicago so very much. Since the 1950s he was a larger than life character. Especially in those early days, when he did mostly traditional songs, he was a great folksinger. We'd wait for new Gibson albums and quickly learn every song on them. Somewhere along the way Bob developed a terrible rare disease of the nervous system (progressive supranuclear palsy) and in the 1990s he, of necessity, went to live with his daughter in Portland, Oregon. In mid-August of 1996 many of us received a letter from Bob:

"As my health has declined, I find that I may miss the music most of all. I miss making music and being around others who have music in their blood. So I'm going to have a party and invite everyone to bring their voices, instruments and songs. Please come to the Sheraton Nort Shore on Friday, September 20th, 1996. This may be the last chance I have to see many of you. I won't be able to play and sing with you, but I'm really looking forward to being an audience of one!"

After that came several phone calls from Bob---terribly sad phone calls---I could barely understand him...

The part was a great one. Many folks from the old days were there. We sang for Bob well past midnight...

After flying back to Portland with his elecric wheelchair and his full-time caregiver, Bob Gibson died in his sleep exactly one week after he held his own wake! A pretty classy way to go.

Art