Musicians You've Met (or would like to)

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 09:44 AM

I clearly should have got out more. Even when musicians mingled before or after gigs, I didn't usually go up to them. Nowadays, I am wellknown to various local musicians as I'm a fixture so they usually say "Hi" to me, amazed I'm still alive, I expect.Mind you, in my 100-Club frequenting days I often stood next to Acker, Humph etc in the Gents! NOT the time to shake hands!
As for who I'd like to meet....
mostly, 'Catters...
YOURSELVES!

Rts

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Tigger the Tiger
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 06:24 AM

Some I met and some I knew well:Big Joe Williams, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann,Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield,Pete Seeger,Peter Yarrow,Dave Van Ronk,Bob Gibson,Ramblin Jack Elliot. The best unknowns were Rick Curtis,Tom Cooke,and Lee Ruth. Tom Cooke was also the best songwriter I ever met. The last three had no idea how good they were.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 06:05 AM

know what you mean Howard.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Howard Jones
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 03:27 AM

With respect to the OP, this seems a slightly strange topic for a folk music forum. The folk scene (in the UK at least) has always been very informal and even the biggest "stars" are accessible and approachable. The venues, even at festivals, seldom have restricted areas for the performers, neither are they surrounded by security to keep fans at bay. On the contrary, performers are usually found in the venue, at the bar or in sessions. It is usually very easy to meet them.

I estimate I've met at least 2/3 of the performers in my record collection. I'm on at least nodding terms with perhaps a quarter, and on reasonably friendly terms with quite a few.

I do wonder whether the shift away from folk clubs to more formal concert venues, and the tendency for big names to drop in to a festival for a single performance before shooting off to the next one, will make it less easy to approach the artists in future. However I remember being at a concert a few months ago where at the interval the raffle tickets were being sold by Martin Simpson, so perhaps not!

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Elmore
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 07:04 PM

Evelyne Beers spent a year on the program committee of our folk song club in the eighties, and did a house concert for us. She was a warm, delightful, and down to person, and a magnificent singer.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 04:24 PM

The Beers Family—Bob "Fiddler" Beers, Evelyne, and their daughter Marty.

Many Irish and Scottish songs taught to Bob Beers by his pioneer grandfather, accompanied by various combinations of psaltery, fiddle, guitar, and dulcimer (or as Bob Beers put it, "Psaltery and Pfiddle….").

Great stuff!!

They did come through Seattle once, but I was in Denver at the time.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 11:00 AM

Oh, I forgot mah main man, Sparky Rucker and his lovely wife, Rhonda... They stayed with us three summers ago for 2 or 3 days...

B~

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,flush
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 09:39 AM

I was sat in a pub session with Brendon Croker and a friend of his, Brendon said a bit of mandolin would sound nice on his next song, so I jammed along. When we had finished his friend said to me, nice bit of mandolin Iain, I said thanks and the guitar didn't sound bad either. I didn't realise is was the one and only Mark Knopfler until my mate Mark told me.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Elmore
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 08:49 AM

I've met Tom Paley,Mike Seeger,Bob and Evelyne Beers, Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, Bob Franke, Rick Lee, Bob Zentz, Lorraine Lee Hammond, Andy Cohen, Tom Lewis, Chuck Hall, John Roberts, Tony Barrand, Ed Miller, Gordon Bok, Debby McClatchy, David Jones, Margaret Macarthur, Barbara Carns, Martyn Wyndham-Read, Lisa Neustadt, The Short Sisters,Priscilla Herdman, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, Iain Mackintosh, Pete Coe, spoken with others briefly, and would like to meet Elizabeth Laprelle

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 07:35 AM

Gnu, I've been threatening to take Jacqui on a tour of the Cabot Trail, and if I do, you will meet me. Thanks for saying what you said.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 05:48 AM

I met Barbara Hepworth once in Cornwall, this was about 1966, we had a very interesting discussion for about 40 minutes about the world, philosophy, drugs, creativity, she was a very interesting person, more interesting than steve davis, who i have never met.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 02:38 AM

Absolutely right Bob! I'd love to meet you guys.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: KathyW
Date: 18 Oct 11 - 01:23 AM

The most famous musician I've met was John Denver, when I was a teenager and had a *huge* crush on him. Recognized him from across the room. He was very gracious, but I didn't talk to him long. He was out for lunch with his family, and I'd caught him just as he had come out of the restroom. :-)

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: ollaimh
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 10:23 PM

mary macmaster and patsy seddon from sileas(at the time) were delightfully fun to meet at the vancouver celtic festival. the festival was a financial bust but the performers were fabulous.

the sileas knew all about cape breton gaelic.

andy m stewert was also a very nice guy, but i was really swoning to meet the writer of his song "on a stron torn shore line a woman is standing, the mist shone like jewels in her hair"

the song goes on the say
"there's a school on the hill where the sons of dead fathers
are driven to temptests or gales
where their god given wings are clipped close to their bodies
and their eyes are bound round with ship sails."
an amazing lyric
i grew up right next to that school on the hill but was lucky to get out back when there was money for edcation. thats when piere trudeau and louis robichaud promoted us to white folks!

the song is chilling and trancendant.

i met the chieftans back stage at a victoria bc concert. the piper malone? showed my daughter how to play the bones, and finished with, and if your stuck for a meal there's a broth right there. she was transfixed, and he was generous and funny.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 09:07 PM

Come on, Oldster... Between meeting the folks I met in the 60's and meeting you, I'd trade 'um all in just to spend one evening with you over a couple beers and a few songs... For real...

B~

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: olddude
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 08:55 PM

I met me once but I didn't like my music :-)

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 08:03 PM

Well, back in the 60's I was promotion manager of the Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, Va. and that gave me the opportunity to meet the following:

Bruce Springsteen with his bands "Child" & Steelmill

All the Allman Brothers band...

Dr. John (pain the the ass)

The Band...

The members of the Chambers Brothers...

Nils Lofgrin (opened for him when he was in the band "Grin"...)

I'm sure there were others who I don't recall right now...

B~

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: oldhippie
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 07:58 PM

Meeting Oscar Brand was a high point.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: gnu
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 07:49 PM

Beer stopped in for a night while on vacation a while back and we had a session. Great time.

But... like to?... well, I have met a number of them online here and become friends (I think) with some. In person... fer me... Kendall. Perhaps it's the fact that he is a Downeast lad and thereby we share a common sense of humour. Hmmmm... nah, it's just because he's a cool and comical dude Downhome lad er not.

The list could easily go on within Mudcat alone... Max, Mick, Seamus, Amos...

I got a lot to do before I bite the dust!

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: gnu
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 07:34 PM

Cool stories. Yeah, they are just people like you and me but sometimes it's a thrill nonetheless.

I met Tommy Makem a couple of times, and him and a Clancy together once.

I used to go to work at 5AM when I was on airport construction projects. One project was at Deer Lake, NF. I entered the air terminal building at shortly after zero five dark hundred hours and rang out a song because the place reverberated when empty. I belted out "It was on the 23rd of June as I sat weavin all on my loom..." (or whatever it was sooo long ago) and a voice FILLED the room in response with the next line. He sang the rest of the song while I stood jaw-dropped. He motioned me to join in but I shook my head no.

Clancy was trying to sleep on the uncomfortable airport chairs with them there eye covers and he was not pleased. I wasn't very sympathetic. A private concert with, as a Newfie buddy called him, the man "wit a troat like a gannet." We had tea in my office and chatted. I mostly told him jokes on accounta I didn't know what else to say... I actually was "star struck"... honestly... I was. I still treasure that encounter.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 03:52 PM

When you're old enough, you realize that a lot of these legends were the damp-eared kids you used to sit around and pick with.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 03:47 PM

I'd like to meet Dick Miles too.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 03:44 PM

I didn't know this was a competition. Otherwise I should have mentioned earlier some of those with whom I had interviews published in The Guardian, Folk Review, The Times ~~ Bert Lloyd, Burl Ives, Billy Connolly, Taffy Thomas, Pete & Chris Coe, Martin Carthy & Norma Waterson, Bob & Carole Pegg, Peter Bellamy, Bob Copper, Nic Jones, Tony Rose, Pete Sayers ...

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 02:40 PM

DOGGONE YOU ... now you're ahead of me ... sheeuh! (of course you have ALWAYS been ahead of me ... how could I possibly forget Ellen Crossen ... what a beauty). bad bad bob

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 02:34 PM

Well, I dunno about that!

You remember Ellen Crossen? In 1959 or so, she and I went to a Harry Belafonte concert held at the Orpheum theater (no longer there) in downtown Seattle. But before the concert, we had dinner in the dining room of the Benjamin Franklin hotel, about half a block from the theater. As we are sitting there stuffing our faces, Ellen's eyes got wide and she said, "Take a look over your right shoulder." I did, and there at the next table was Belafonte and about five other people, including Millard Thomas, his guitar accompanist.

Probably the whole crew was staying at the Ben Franklin. Very convenient to the theater.

They left before we did (undoubtedly to get ready to do the concert) and they walked right by our table.

(How many points is that worth?)

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 02:19 PM

I would like to meet Dick Miles, he owes me fiver , he gave me a tip for a horse which is still running

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 02:04 PM

Hey Don ... I once road in elevator with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris ... the Olympic Hotel ... 1957 ... NOW I'm more famous than YOU (i think?) bob

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 02:00 PM

Some decades back, I was in downtown Seattle fairly late in the evening for some reason or other. Fencing class, or I had taken in a movie, or something. I stopped into a small, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop for a quick coffee before grabbing the bus home. The coffee shop's lunch counter was one of these horseshow shaped ones, and there was a juke box every five feet or so along the counter.

I glanced up and saw a couple sitting across from me. Other than a bored waitress who was reading a magazine, we were the only people in the place.

The man looked familiar. Then it suddenly hit me! It was Mel Tormé, crooner and occasional scat-singer. The "Velvet Fog." I remembered that he was scheduled to give a concert someplace in Seattle earlier that evening. But what was he doing in a little joint like this, not in some fancy restaurant? Nevertheless, there he was. Or someone who was a dead-ringer for him.

Just for the helluvit, I flipped the listings on the joke box thingy on the counter and spotted Mel Tormé's latest hit. I shoved a nickel in the slot and punched the buttons for that particular song. A few seconds later, the dulcet tones of Mel Tormé issued forth. The two of them looked up. He looked around, and obviously, by process of elimination, the guilty party had to be me.

He grinned and said to his lady companion in a voice loud enough for me to hear, "Jeez! Some people have no musical taste!!" Then he looked over at me, still smiling. I grinned back and shrugged my shoulders. We both laughed, then we all went back to our coffee.

He was probably glad that I didn't come over and ask him for his autograph or something.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 12:16 PM

I have to share a funny story about Bob Hope. It was 1963 and I was living in Felton, California. It was a small village in the Redwoods. A block from my house was a small, one man bakery. The baker always started baking at 4 in the morning and he left his back door open so the locals could come in and have coffee and tells bad jokes. One morning I walked in at 4 and there was Bob Hope and his business manager sitting at the counter. Bob needed to invest some money and he was trying to buy the bakery. I sat at counter, had coffee and read the paper, like usual. As I left, I looked at bob and said: "I wonder just how many people have told Bob Hope the he looks just like YOU!" He burst out laughing and bought my coffee.

Does that make me famous! bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 12:01 PM

I met Martin Carthy once..in a Pub in Truro..I was thrilled. Still am.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: MikeL2
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 10:32 AM

Hi

As an organiser of several clubs many years ago I met many musicians and singers. As many have been already mentioned here I will not repeat the names

But I will add that that I once met Bing Crosby.

Not in a musical context I have to say because he was flying up to Scotland to play golf. I was the "erk" who was "volunteered" to carry his clubs and baggage.

Never got a tip neither !!

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: tonyteach1
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 08:42 AM

Met Martin Carthy several times and his daughters - Ewan McColl, we talked about singing
Diz Disley

Most of famous people meetings were on the opera circuit

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: kendall
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 07:36 AM

Jean Redpath,Art Thieme , Tommy Makem. He was dying of cancer and he called to see how I was doing! Nearly brought me to tears.

I've met so many fine people in this category of Folk, I feel so blessed.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: BobKnight
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 06:08 AM

Well, back when I was a kid I met Jeannie Robertson quite a few times, also the Stewarts of Blair. I met Elizabeth Stewart when I was about 7 or 8, Lizzie Higgins as well. Stanley Robertson too. Mind you, they were all my relatives, and I was hardly in awe, so I suppose that doesn't count. Does it??

In 1974 I met a fine banjo picker and played bass with his band when they visited Aberdeen. He asked me to play with them the next night too at Glenrothes in Fife, and at the end of the night invited me to join them for the rest of their European tour. I turned him down. To me he was just some American guy who played the banjo. It was only months later that I found out Bill Keith was a big name in the blugrass world.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Allan C.
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:47 AM

I had a feeling this thread was bound to become a "try to top me" thing. Okay, here's mine:

I have had the honor of meeting well over 200 Mudcatters over the past decade and a half (plus or minus). I used to keep track of how many, but gave up somewhere in the mid 100's. Virtually all of them turned out to be nice, friendly, and often generous folks. Sure, I can think of an exception or two. One bragged about boning his kid's babysitter. Another screwed another 'Catter out of a whole lot of money. But far more often than not, Mudcatters have been among the nicest people I have ever had the opportunity to meet. Yes, I've met a number of "famous" people; but they weren't any better, any nicer, or any more generous with their music than the Mudcatters I have come to know. That's enough for me.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:44 AM

Bruce Murdoch, of course......Bonnie Shaljean,   Art thieme, Jerry rasmussen. jed marum, naturally.

Sorry if I left you out!

Be a great partty though!

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:42 AM

Mutually, Al. I don't get around much any more [age!]; but let me know if you are ever going to be in the Cambridge area. Or will you be at the Herga launch ~ which I hope to get to & where I hope to meet some people from about these Cat-parts?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:38 AM

And Ian Mather and Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:31 AM

I'd quite like to meet MGM and richard Bridge and Lizzie cornish.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 05:26 AM

I met & smoked fags with Marshall Allen after the Arkestra touched dowbn at the Edinburgh Festival in 1991. That seemed cool & normal, but even so I resisted his invitation to 'come back and meet Sonny' for which I've been kicking myself ever since. I have had dinner with Daevid Allen though, and one of the nicest guys I ever met in my younger days of hanging around the stage-door of Newcastle City Hall was Ron Aspery from Back Door. I never met Don Cherry but we smiled at each other along a corridor in the student union building when Nu were playing there circa - 1988??   

I once held the door open for maestro Xavier Diaz Latorre who walked through (carrying a priceless lute in each hand) without even acknowledging me. Pure class!

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Genie
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 01:28 AM

Well, I used to live next door to Mitch Miller's in-laws, and he and his family visited them several times, and we sort of got to know the family (including my brother dating his daughter briefly). At first I was going to dismiss Mitch as 'just' a recording label exec and not a musician, but while he was head of Columbia Records at that time, I understand that he was also a very accomplished player of the oboe (of all things!) and English horn and recorded some very highly regarded instrumental albums of classical music playing those instruments.

While I didn't "know" either of them, it turns out that my time at the University of Illinois overlapped with the times that both Steve Goodman and Dan Fogelberg were playing and singing in coffee houses on the Urbana campus.

Then there is Andy (Andrew) Cohen, a friend of mine from when we were both in Urbana on the U of I campus ca. 1969 and who was even back then an accomplished guitarist and blues artist and who has since gone on to quite a bit of accomplishment/recognition as a ragtime, blues, Gospel and folk musician.

It's not about feeling somehow 'special' because I "know somebody," but it's kind of fun to see people do well when in one way or another you "knew them when."

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 12:06 AM

... and once [how about this!] slept in Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins's bed at their flat in Highgate. They were away at the time, of course; but I had a bit of a thing with their flat-sitter. Must show something that I forget who she was: but not whose bed I occupied that night!

Oh, hey ho ho hum. As Louis MacNeice said of the Ancient World and I always say of my early life, it was all so unimaginably different and all so long ago...

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Oct 11 - 12:01 AM

One evening in 1956-7, I had that Peggy Seeger on my lap for the crowded car journey from the Princess Louise to whosever it was we were going on to afterwards.

Top that, anyone?

~Michael~

Still sometimes think of it and wonder if she remembers...

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Beer
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 11:53 PM

And to sit down with the axe and play some down home tunes that our parents and their parents use to sing.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Beer
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 11:51 PM

I'd love to meet you to.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 11:35 PM

Well probably the most famous of my folk heroes that I have met would be those Irish icons of the first magnitude, Tommy and Liam. Of those that I knew somewhat better John Morris Rankin rates high on my hit parade. The ones still living that I would like to meet, Judith Durham and Pete Seeger. Of those passed away the names could fill a page but Johnny Cash and Maybelle Carter would be near the top. Someday I may yet meet people on my Mudcat list like Bruce Murdoch , Kendall Morse , Big Mick, Beer, and gnu. Hell, I would love to meet you all including Chongo and Shane!

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,Tinker from Chicago
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 11:28 PM

Wow. Let's see. Worked gigs with Tom Paxton, U. Utah Phillips, Art Thieme, Tommy Makem, Anne Hills, Jim Post, Andrew Calhoun, Kat Eggleston, Evan Carawan, and a bunch more. Hosted house concerts for Seamus Kennedy, Robbie O'Connell, Tom Lewis, Bill Staines, Bryan Bowers, Michael Smith, Pint & Dale, John Roberts & Tony Barrand, Andy M. Stewart, Judy Cook, and about 30 others. Went backstage and met Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Shane and George Grove of the Kingston Trio, Lou Gottlieb of the Limeliters, all of the Clancy Brothers, Chad Mitchell, Peter Yarrow, etc. Got John Denver's autograph at a book signing. Not too shabby for a part-time folksinger.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: kendall
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 07:23 PM

Sparky Rucker, John McCutcheon, Ian Robb, Shelley Posen,Robbie O'Connell. The list is too long to go any further.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Deckman
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 05:01 PM

Yes Don .... I well remember that hoot at Dotties house after the 1962 World's Fair concert. Afterwords, I took her back to the Ben Franklin hotel where she packed her bags, and with her traveling companion, came to our house for the next three days. You remember well, she was quite lonesome and didn't know anyone in town.

Back to subject ...

I've met many of the great singers, some of who were, and remain, my heros. I think I'd like to answer the poster's question by focusing on the few singers that I have not yet met, but who I would enjoy trading a song or two:

Cynthia Gooding (might be difficult now)
Frank Hamilton
Sinsull
Art Thieme
Joe Offer
Judy Collins
Peggy Seeger

When we answer a thread like this, it's easy to fall into the "trap" of name dropping ... which is really quite silly. But remembering a few of the "greats", I well remember some that proved that they were serious musicians and NOT impressed by their celebrity status Here's a few I well remember that went out of their way to encourage me, show me some things, and share their genuine love of this wonderful music:

Walt Robertson
Sam Hinton
Guy Carawan
Bob Gibson
Pete Seeger
Sonny Terry
on and on and on .... bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 04:56 PM

Egad! I must be slipping! But at my age, I'm entitled.

In the very early 1960s, the Gateway Singers did a concert at the University of Washington. Another friend of mine (with the oddball name of Zibby Kaiser) somehow knew that the group was going their separate ways and would meet up again in about a week in San Francisco. And that the one woman in the quartet, Elmerlee Thomas, needed a ride to the Seattle-Tacoma airport. Zibby asked me if I'd like to ride a long, and I said "Sure!" It's a long ride to SeaTac and the three of us talked about all kinds of things, including folk music.

The following evening, John and Sally Ashford were having a song Fest gathering at their house and I was invited. When I walked in, sitting on the sofa with his long-necked five string banjo, was Jerry Walter, one of the Gateway Singers. He didn't sing the whole lot, he wanted to hear us singing. But during the course of the evening, he sang one of the nicest versions of "Pretty Saro," complete with very gentle banjo accompaniment, that I've ever heard. I was able to reconstruct it, fortunately, and that's pretty much the way I sing it myself (but with guitar accompaniment).

Within fairly recent years, I met Charlie Noble when he did a house concert here at Stewart Hendrickson's house. Genie was there also. And I've seen her maybe a couple of times at gatherings at Bob (Deckman) Nelson's house in Everett, Washington.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 04:35 PM

Odetta, Pat Sky, Dave Van Ronk, Eric Anderson, Tom Rush, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Otis Spann, Fred Neil, Vince Martin, Ian & Sylvia, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, David Amram, Don Reno, Roscoe Holcomb, Elizabeth Cotten, John Jackson, Sam Chatmon, Gordon Friesen & Sis Cunningham, Rev. F.D, Krkpatrick, Jimmy Collier, Tom Ghent, Bruce Murdoch, Don MacLean, Janis Ian, Rev. Gary Davis, Carolyn Hester, Rosalie Sorrels, Utah Phillips, Kate Wolf, Red River Dave McEnery, Spider John Koerner, David Grisman, David Bromberg, Jody Stecher, Larry Hanks, Fred Holstein, Steve Goodman, Jay Ungar, Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck, Peter Rowan, Gordon Bok, Peggy Seeger, Roy Book Binder, Paul Geremia, Elijah Wald, Martin, Bogan, & TheArmstrongs, Gatemouth Brown, Merle Travis, Jethro Burns, Steve Cormier, Bob & Diana Suckiel, Andy Cohen, Sparky Rucker, Dan Milner, Pat Chamberlain, Phil Ochs, Tom Chapin, Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry.
I think the list could go on and on, but I'll leave it there. The one I always wanted to meet of course, was Woody Guthrie, but I cam along too late. I once asked Marjorie for permission to visit him. She said "No", bacause Woody's condition had deteriorated to the point wher he couldn't communicate with new friends and it upset him too much. When I voiced my disappointment to her a couple of years later, she replied, "That there was a little bit of Woody in all of us."

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,SirCoughsalot
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 04:29 PM

Yes, Mr. Firth, that guest was me. Sorry, I keep forgetting to put the name in. Thanks for the advice.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 04:23 PM

GUEST (SirCoughsalot?), You really don't need to be intimidated by well-known performers. In the main, they're just people who had the guts to follow their dream. And if you're trying to do the same thing and are at an earlier stage, they can often offer you very valuable advice, and for the most part they seem to be more than happy to do so. I told Richard Dyer-Bennet that I was interested in following a career of singing folk and traditional songs, and occasional other material, in concerts and clubs. (I wasn't all that interested in singing in such a formal, classical manner as he did, but I didn't say that.) He was quite generous with his advice and encouragement, making all kinds of good suggestions. And he seemed happy that someone had asked.

I went to Joan Baez's concert at the brand-new Seattle Center Opera House in 1962 with Dave, a buddy of mine. At intermission, he got up out of his seat and said, "I'm going to go backstage and ask her if she'd like to come to that party at Dottie's tonight!" "Fat chance!" I thought. But when the intermission was almost over, Dave dashed back to his seat and sat down, saying "She said she'd love to come! She said she'd been in Seattle for three days, doesn't know anybody here, and she was getting pretty lonesome! She thanked me for the invitation!" When the concert was over, we picked her up at the stage door and drove to the party at Dottie's house.

Don't make a pest of yourself, of course, but you never know. Give it a shot!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: kendall
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 03:00 PM

I don't understand why my posts either don't post or disappear after I post!
I met Gordon Bok 1n 1959 when I was Captain of the Explorer and he was first Mate in the Alice Wentworth. We became lifelong friends almost immediately.
Met Pete Seeger in 1963. He gave me my first banjo lesson in Gordon's living room. We have connected many times since.
Tom Paxton, about 30 years ago, He says we are friends but we seldom meet.
Wilf Carter, (Montana Slim), 1950? He let me play his custom Martin guitar. Really nice guy.
Utah Phillips, he says 30 years ago, I didn't argue.
Mac Wiseman, nice guy.
Don Stover. Swapped stories with him and Smokey Green for about two hours.

Lee Moore. He was a real joker and a real fine fellow.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: RTim
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 02:40 PM

When I lived back home in England, I always wanted to meet John McCutcheon, as we have (or had) mutual friends and I loved his music.
It was not until I went to a concert in Lexington near Boston after I moved to the US that I met him, and found him charming and very approachable.
I have seen and heard him many times since then and he continues to be wonderful.
In May this year he played Woods Hole and stayed with me and my wife Jan, it was a delight.
The Most talented and genuine man you will ever meet!!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 02:26 PM

If I ever had the chance to meet half of the people you guys have talked about here, I probably would pass out. I'm always kind of intimidated by performers, always think they probably aren't really interested in talking to an 18 year old kid.

There's some I forgot last night. I met Jesse McReynolds, once at a bluegrass festival, and then once at a community reunion he was playing. Both times I spoke to him and requested a song, and both times he said he could probably do it but never did. I've also met Johnny Staats and Robert Shaffer(you guys might not be familiar with them, but check 'em out. They are good). Johnny Staats is an okay guy, but he didn't seem like he had much time to talk to me. Robert Shaffer didn't seem to have much interest in talking to anybody. At the same event I talked to the Sheets Family band, and they were very nice people. Just normal folks, y'know. I talked to Kelly Sheets about fiddling for a little bit, and then to Randy Sheets about banjo playing, and he even let me play his banjo. There was also some woman with an autoharp who I tried to speak, because I had an interest in autoharps at the time, but she just gave me a blunt answer to my question and kept walking.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Bettynh
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 12:12 PM

Boston,1968. My college roomie brought me home with her for the weekend. Her dad was Manny Greenhill. At 3 PM, he picked up 2 people at the bus station. We had dinner (fishsticks, mashed potatoes, and peas. Who feeds peas to a blind man??) Dinner conversation centered around a tv Christmas special being put together, whether it would be worth the exhaustion of travel to be a part of it, description of their trip (something like 18 hours, half-price for the blind), and a baby (this guy was my age, and he was married and had a kid??). The concert (Doc and Merle Watson, of course) started at 8, I think. Jordan Hall was sold out, so we sat on folding chairs in front of the front row. The music was magic. I have never since seen such wonderful hands. Merle never once said a word on stage. After the show, we all went to Park Street, by the bus station. Debbie and I were underage, so not allowed, but everyone else went into the Hilbilly Ranch bar. The bus for NC left at midnight. Debbie and I wandered around Boston Common for the intervening couple hours. Things were different then and we were not at all afraid.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 11:53 AM

Its a LOT easier meeting Folk 'SuperStars' in UK as we have more informal Folk events , and we DO live s lot closer to each other .
As an Ex Jazz Reedman , my two 'Best to have met' (AND jammed with) are Diz Disley a Denny Wright , though Steve Bebow was a good friend .

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 09:47 AM

I've met quite a few musician's I've admired. I sometimes haven't approached them, unless I had a specific question, or wanted to comment on something I thought they did well in a performance. I always thought it best to let them know I was paying attention to the performance. On that plan I talked briefly to Nic Jones, got to drive the Waterson:Carthy's from Chicago to a suburban appearance, and talked some to John Kirkpatrick. Being a fellow performer, I've had a privilege of being in workshops and talking to Peggy Seeger, Guy Davis, Anne Hills, Bob Fox, Joel Mabus and Tracy Grammer. I always appreciated when they made positive coment on what we were doing.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Bert
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 08:16 AM

Tom Paxton, a very kind man. He was laughing along with my singing of "Size Doesn't Matter".

Utah Phillips, another kind person.

Seamus Kennedy, You all know how great he is.

Oliver McElhone, Scruffy looking sod but what a wonderful voice.

And so many great Mudcatters that I can't mention them all.

Subject: RE: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 05:46 AM

I feel rather privileged, actually. I've met a fair number of well-known performers.

I knew Sandy Paton when he lived in Seattle. When I first started singing traditional songs and playing the guitar, he'd already been at it for about a year. I knew him pretty well, then he left for parts East. I saw him again in 1960 when he was one of the featured performers at the 1960 Berkeley Folk Festival.

But well before the Berkeley festival where I met a whole pantheon of well-known singers, I met Pete Seeger in October of 1954 when he did a concert in Seattle. He was staying with folk singer Walt Robertson, a friend of mine and my first guitar teacher. After his concert in the University District, he and dozen or so members of the recently formed Pacific Northwest Folklore Society (who sponsored the concert), all adjourned to a nearby house. Seeger was eager to hear local singers, and at the party, a lot of singing went on until well past midnight when many people left. Seeger and four or five others of us kept going until about four in the morning, all sitting cross-legged on the floor and passing my brand new, shiny Martin 00-18 back and forth. Seeger did another concert in Seattle in 1957 and I was in on a session the day before he did that concert.

Guy Carawan passed through Seattle a couple of times. The first time, he was just traveling the country and was around for a number of sessions and song-swaps. A couple of years later, he did a concert here, just after returning from pissing off the State Department by going to a Moscow Youth Festival, then doing a concert tour of China (that probably killed his chances of ever singing for the DAR!).

Bob Gibson came here for a concert and he and his accompanist, Dick Rosmini, stayed for a couple of weeks. Several get-togethers, song fests and gab fests.

But a year before that, I meet Richard Dyer-Bennet backstage after he did a recital in Bellingham, about 90 miles north of Seattle. I had a long chat with him and he was full of good advice. Very friendly.

At the aforementioned Berkeley Folk Festival, after Sandy did his concert, he asked me if I was game to go to a party. "Sure!" sez I, and about fifteen minutes after we got there, Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl walked in. I had a chance to chat with both of them. Never did meet the host of the party!

I went to subsequent Berkeley festivals where I met and talked with, often participating in workshops with, Sam Hinton, John Lomax, Jr, folklorist Archie Green, Charles Seeger, performers such as the aforementioned Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl, the New Lost City Ramblers (Mike Seeger, John Cohen, and Tom Paley), Jean Redpath, Almeda Riddle, Doc Watson, bluesmen Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, and Mance Lipscomb, not to mention Marais and Miranda (had a long gab-fest with them—delightful people, and Miranda was a real snort! Funny lady!)

The Seattle World's Fair in 1962 brought a whole bunch of people to town. I was singing in the multi-performer concerts at the U. N. Pavilion on Sunday afternoons and Richard Dyer-Bennet, who did three concerts at the brand new Seattle Center Playhouse, came and did a couple of songs at the U. N. Pavilion, so I had another chance to chat with him.

Joan Baez sang at the new Opera House and there was a party afterward. I ran into her again in 1964 at a Berkeley festival. I had attended a morning workshop and was heading out for lunch. Distracted between thinking about all of the information I got at the workshop, and the hungry rumblings in my stomach, I didn't notice this dark haired young woman wearing a Tee-shirt, cut-offs, and thong sandals. We practically collided on the stairs. It was Joan. She was doing a concert that evening and had dropped in to check the arrangements. She remembered me for two years before, and we talked a bit before we went our separate ways.

Theodore Bikel also did a concert in the Opera House during the world's fair. The following day, he was scheduled to autograph record albums at Campus Music and Gallery in the University District. Somehow the word failed to get out, and Jim Bates, the owner of the store was tripping all over himself apologizing, but I think Bikel was actually relieved and preferred just talking with the half-dozen of us who had heard about it ahead of time. Two hours of talking with Theo Bikel is an experience!

Barbara Dane was the opening act for Bob Newhart when he did a "concert" in town. Barbara sang for about twenty minutes and just got warmed up. When the "concert" was over, she, Dick Rosmini, who was with her, and several of us adjourned to someone's house where the singing went on until the wee small hours of the morning. We all went out for breakfast at an all-night restaurant before dropping Barbara at her hotel. Boy, can that lady belt 'em out!!

Elizabeth Cotton. I didn't get a chance to talk with her, but I did meet her very briefly. At the Northwest Folklife Festival (1978 or 79, I think; I don't really remember) I was scheduled to participate in a multi-performer concert on the stage of the Seattle Opera House. The concert was being broadcast on one of Seattle's radio stations. Elizabeth Cotton was the jewel in the setting of the festival.

They had scheduled me to follow her! (Thanks a million, somebody!) Ms. Cotton sang about four songs (we were allotted about ten minutes each for the sake of the broadcast), then she came off and I was introduced. I'm sure the audience would have been a lot happier if she had finished out the rest of the concert, but fortunately they were civilized and polite, and they let me survived. I said to the audience, "I think this is what people mean when they talk about 'a tough act to follow.'" The audience laughed. I then said (and meant it), "Isn't she great?" Big round of applause! Then I went into my part of the program and was well received, so it all came out okay.

Again, Peggy Seeger. She did a concert in the auditorium of a local museum (Museum of History and Industry) and there was a party afterward.

Then, Gordon Bok. Twice. Once in Bellingham (went up to see him) and got invited to the after-concert party. Then he came to Seattle a few years later and there was a party the day before his concert, also at the Museum of History and Industry. We swapped a few songs. He was playing a Santos Hernandez classic at the time and he liked my José Oribé classic. Said, "It has bells in it."

Nice meeting Gordon. I've stolen dozens of his songs!! And I sing them in the same keys he does!

I know I'm leaving a few people out, but it's way past my bedtime.

Don Firth

P. S. Just occurred to me. I'm a member of the Seattle Classic Guitar Society, and at receptions when he was in town for concerts, I had a couple of opportunities to talk with Andrés Segovia. And on another occasion, a reception with the French classic guitar duo, Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya.

Subject: Musicians You've Met (or would like to)
From: GUEST,SirCoughsalot
Date: 16 Oct 11 - 02:03 AM

Pretty much what it says on the title. What folk or other musicians have you met, under what circumstances, what were they like, etc. And you can say who you'd really like to meet.

Personally, 'bout the only folks whose names anybody'd recognize have been at the bluegrass festivals. I met Bobby Osborne (great dude, but I don't think he knew what to make of me. I was shaking when I met him) Ralph Stanley (who was pretty cranky, but I figure he was just tired), Rhonda Vincent (friendly, but pressed for time), Melvin Goins (a very nice man), and probably a bunch of others I'm forgetting. Bluegrass festivals are a great place to meet your heroes. Only, I usually have a hard time approaching them without seeming like a silly starstruck kid.

An acquaintance of mine met Dock Boggs and John Hurt back in the coffehouse days of the 60s. He said Mr. Boggs was pretty cranky, but probably just tired, and that Mr. Hurt was the nicest man in the world, pretty much.

So, I'm curious to hear the stories.