(How's this for thread gallop?)That was a fantastic time. We had a chance to meet some of the "biggies" as they passed through, and not just meet them but spend a little quality time with them. Three I remember in particular:—
After Joan Baez's concert at the Opera House, Dave Peterson and I rescued her from the backstage mob. Turns out she'd been in Seattle for a couple of days before the concert, wandered around the fairgrounds some, didn't know anybody, and was a bit lonesome. We drove her up to Dottie Broxon's house on Capitol Hill where a nice party ensued. Lots of singing. Joan didn't sing because she was beat and thought she was on the verge of a cold (and besides, she's already sung her li'l lungs out). As I recall, you invited her to your home (much nicer than a hotel) and saw to it that she got to the airport okay.
Richard Dyer-Bennet did concerts on three consecutive evenings at the Playhouse, then came to the UN Pavilion Sunday afternoon and joined us in our weekly concert there. I'd met him in 1957, but had a chance to go backstage and gas with him again for awhile.
Theo Bikel did a concert at the Opera House, then the following day, Campus Music and Gallery in the University District put on a record autographing session for him. Unfortunately not that many people dropped by (somebody goofed on getting the publicity out), but Nancy Quensé and I and a couple of other people had a chance to sit there and gab with him for about two hours. Very encouraging as far as our singing ambitions were concerned, a great story-teller, and an all-in-all terrific guy!
Those UN Pavilion concerts were amazing. Outdoors every Sunday afternoon, and they sometimes went on for three or four hours. Lots of good singers. Lots of audience. And a lot of singing jobs spun off from those, too. One great one was when Nancy, Stan, and I got tapped to do a concert at the Port Townsend Arts Festival by someone who heard us at the UN Pavilion. Treated us like royalty!
Forty years ago!! Sheesh!!
Don (having a nostalgia fit!) Firth