Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003

Subject: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: sharyn
Date: 05 May 03 - 12:40 PM

It seems like high time to get this thread started. I'll be there (although I don't know where I'm staying yet). Who else?

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: open mike
Date: 05 May 03 - 01:19 PM

you'll see/hear some of our very own 'Cats on stage
at the reunion concert of their group which has been
making music for over 40 years! Watch for the turkey
pluckers, i think that's what they will be called.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: mg
Date: 05 May 03 - 03:42 PM

I'll be there for sure...there is a NW music panel on Saturday and Sunday and I'm on Saturday..is schedule out yet?

mg

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: artbrooks
Date: 05 May 03 - 03:56 PM

Jenn and I will be there, and the schedule is posted here.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,pissed off
Date: 05 May 03 - 04:13 PM

several years ago northwest folk life started sending out the police to protect tower record monoply from being threatened by preformers selling their owm material. this was at a cheaper price and two out of six years i sold tower re3cords didn't ever pay me for the few tapes they sold.

i could sell fifty to a hundred tapes direct. i would sell about ten to fifteen through tower records so here's to the corporate heads who fucked the working muscian . i can't aford to tyravel that far unless i can make some money out busking. there's no longer any piece of the pie that corporationa aren't trying to suck up.

i recently heard tower records went bankrupt--horray hip hip. they are fascist assholes and folk life shouldn'e being doing deals that stop muscians from making enough money to go there.

i usually have to travel from the east coast to go. i will go on only a few gigs if there are3 prospects of makeing money on the fly, but now folklife is for the corporate heads and the nice middle class muscians who have real jobs, and can afford a hobby.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 05 May 03 - 07:02 PM

Hello Guest. I well understand your anger and frustration. The Folklife Festival has grown from a small grass roots start into one of the biggest deals around. I think I performed in the first 17, or so, and then occasionally after that. I stopped going and performing on a reguliar basis some years ago, after I also saw signs of the festival becomming way to big for it's britches. It used to be FUN for the performers. The festival went out of it's way to make it so with various performers perks: free parking, hospitality room, slumber room, instrument checking available, etc. Then, with success came the changes: the City of Seattle decided to try to make money off it by charging admission. We stopped that dead in it's tracks. I for one, wrote them a letter and said that if they charge, I'll send them a bill for all my past performances. My letter was one of the kinder ones they received from the many hundreds of performers that have performed, FOR FREE, over the years.

Having said all that, I will add that indeed, Don Firth and I, as well as many others, WILL be performing this festival on Monday, May 26th, at 1pm, in the "Olympic Room." The title of the concert is "Coffee House Reunion." We are going to be there because we all sang in the Seattle coffee houses from the late fifties into the early sixties ... and we are STILL ALIVE.

I will post the complete list of the concert performers a little later.

Again, I understand and hear your frustrations. For some years now, I've felt that the festival is a victum of it's own success! CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,Reggie Miles
Date: 05 May 03 - 07:46 PM

I changed from having a Post Office Box to having a mail box and in the process the Post Office did not forward anything with my old address that was not first class mail. Guess what application did not get forwarded? I called the Folklife people up and told them what had happened and they were nice enough to allow me an opportunity to send an application in late but one thing led to another and I didn't get one in this year. I'll probably be hanging out just the same maybe even saw some tunes on the ol' handtool for spare change.

Saw ya there

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 05 May 03 - 07:47 PM

Reggie, Judy and I will be looking for you. Bob

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: sharyn
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:04 PM

To Guest, Pissed Off:

I was at Folklife last year and the record sales were being handled by some local store -- Silver Platter or something -- are they affiliated with Tower.

I go mostly to see musicians I know from B.C. and Washington -- it's cheaper than going to Vancouver.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 06 May 03 - 01:18 AM

Deckman, good to hear you're playing - and I'm hoping to see you Monday pm. We've got some shanty gigs at the Northwest Court, a ballad workshop in Shaw and a NW historical panel. Will there be a 'Catters meet?

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 May 03 - 06:29 AM

Yet another downside to living in Paradise...I miss the paradise of folk music in the Pacific Northwest! My first folklife (as a visitor and performer) was 1983--I sang on the NW Court stage with David Ingerson (a recent addition to Mudcat) and Mary Benson; we all came down from Portland. My last was 1990, the year I left Seattle. I do miss it, but even by 1990 it showed signs of getting too big. I think that '87 might have been the first year that they started turning away people who wanted to perform. Before that, it was more or less an open stage(s): if you sent in an application, you got a performance slot somewhere. And then there were the wonderful singers' parties on Saturday night, some official and some un. I'll never forget singing shanties with about 50 people in the stairwell of the Queen Anne School, or hanging out with the likes of Bob Kotta and Seth Blair and William Pint and Felicia Dale and Janet Stecher and Susan Lewis and Mariide and Pat Thompson and Chris Roe and Jon Bartlett (and dozens of others whose names I've naturally forgotten) in somebody's living room. Those were the days, my friend...

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 06 May 03 - 03:21 PM

Yes, I well recall that stairwell... We'll sing one for you, Mark - you're missed!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: artbrooks
Date: 06 May 03 - 10:46 PM

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Miken
Date: 07 May 03 - 12:17 AM

I'll be there too, in the aforementioned coffee house reunion, but out and about the rest of the festival as well. Hope to connect with you all somewhere.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 03 - 09:46 PM

well i see no need to stop working muscians from selling thier tapes and cds. it's how a lot of muscians can afford to go. and i haven't gone since. i was there as a performer for seven yesrs i think. if i had my certificates of appreciation i'd send them back.

but then the corporate heads are every where.

there was good music, although you have to put up with the middle calss sing along with mitch types like john bartlett who poped up here. vancouver is full of wannabe's like him, who have reinterpreted folk values as middle class values , usually with out any self awareness. but whattya gona do. i get paid to play still and still haven't had a real job in fifteen years so i ought not to complain too much. i'm just not into getting old

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: artbrooks
Date: 07 May 03 - 10:01 PM

Is there going to be a shanty party on the Wawona?

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 07 May 03 - 11:06 PM

Mark ... I also well remember that stairway singing that happened. That was where i first heard "Who Will Sing For Me." As I recall, it was the wonderful Sally Ashford that sang it. By the way, I hear that she and John will be singing a duet, or two, at the coffee house reunion concert!. I think you need to cancell some patients and get over here for it! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 08 May 03 - 02:29 AM

Guest, if you're going to insult me, have the goodness to tell me who you are.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:00 AM

Don't feed the trolls, Jon! The best defense is a strong silence. (I just made that up...and it would look better in Canadian, wouldn't it?)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:07 PM

I just received an update on the "Coffe House Reunion Concert" on Monday, May 26, from 1:00 until 4:00 P.M. in the Olympic Room, Seattle Center. The performers will be:
Bob Nelson
Don Firth
Nancy Quense
Jim Wilhelm
John Ashford, Pushkara (Sally) Ashford, Ron Ginther,
Stan James,
Maggie Savage,
Jon Pfaff,
The Turkey Pluckers (Phil and Vivian Williams, Mike Nelson, Ron Ginther)
Mariide Widmann
Steve Lalor.

As might be expected, the program is open to changes. I'm looking forward to it as I know Don is. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: artbrooks
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:09 PM

Marked on my schedule...thanks

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: johnross
Date: 09 May 03 - 11:51 PM

The Coffee House Reunion has been my major project for this year's Folklife. I've been working on it for almost a year, with much good advice and help from Deckman, Don, and others. It's shaping up to be a fine afternoon.

It's long past due that we pay some attention at the Folklife Festival to the people who laid the foundations of the folk music community around here. If it wasn't for the seeds they planted 40 or more years ago, there wouldn't be nearly as much and as many kinds of folk music around here today.

As for record sales, I don't think Folklife ever had anything to do with Tower, except for the year that they donated a lot of bags. We started to sell performers' records in about 1979 or 1980 along with the festival's own highlights collections, as a way to let potential purchasers find them all in one place (and sell more records than a performer would sell off the stage). And we'd accept credit cards, which most individual performers could not.

The festival takes a relatively small percentage of each sale (it used to be 15%; don't know how much it is now) to help cover the cost of the festival. That's a lot less than what a retailer or distributor would take off the top, so the musician still makes good money. For almost twenty years, festival volunteers ran record sales. Eventually, it got so big that Silver Platters, a local chain (two stores), signed on to run it. I don't know how much Folklife makes on record sales every year, but like the t-shirts, buttons, crafts, food and everything else that's sold at the festival, that revenue helps keep the gates wide open all weekend.

If (guest) can sell a hundred CDs at the festival, that's great -- just as long as he remembers why those people were there to hear him, and he throws his fair share into the common pot so the festival can cover its expenses.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Benjamin
Date: 10 May 03 - 03:01 AM

I have every intention of making it this year. Hopefully, I'll find my way around to the different events.
Benjamin

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,Thomas Herring
Date: 10 May 03 - 03:42 AM

We are!

David and I will be playing on friday the twenty third, at 7:40; in the Rainier room.

We've got some nice songs, and some great tunes!

Uilleann Pipes, Guitar, Hammered Dulcimer, Irish Flute, and Voices

All the Best, and we hope to see you there! Long live the mudcat!

Thomas

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 12 May 03 - 02:40 AM

Well done, John Ross, for the reunion idea. You're right - it's past time for this sort of thing. I remember with much pleasure the sessions at John & Sally Ashford's. Rika and I hope to be at the reunion.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: John P
Date: 12 May 03 - 10:56 PM

I get to perform twice this year -- once on Saturday with my new band Crookshank, and again on Monday backing up fiddler Lauryn Shapter. Both are in the Center House Theater. This will be my 20th year at Folklife.

They are allowing musicians to sell CDs from the stage this year. Buskers can sell on the sidewalks, too, after jumping through a hoop or two. 'Bout time.

Hope to see some of you there.

John Peekstok

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: John P
Date: 16 May 03 - 09:22 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 16 May 03 - 09:41 PM

Well John... looks like only about twenty people are going to make it this year! ;^) Sure willl take some getting used too!
Do have fun! Even if twenty thousand people change their mind at the last minute and decide to drop by...ttr

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: MAG
Date: 16 May 03 - 10:06 PM

I know some of you have defended being able to busk, but I find it makes the crowd situation that much worse. You can't get by on the side walk; traffic is at a dead stop, even at place like the courtyard over near NW Court. Lots of the people listening aren't even (gasp!) wearing buttons. I could only come on sunday and I'm not really sure if it's worth the hassle even though I got my program and everything. -- MA

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: mg
Date: 16 May 03 - 10:20 PM

oh please come...if the crowds are bad I find that staying in the basement workshops works really well for me...check out the panels and the stuff in the big halls etc...

mg

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 16 May 03 - 11:00 PM

One of the best things was the sleep rooms in the performer's area in Center House...those are probably a thing of the past, though...

Have fun, everybody. I'll be in California visiting my daughter, and will be thinking of you all. (No, we couldn't squeeze a trip to Seattle into the weekend!)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 03 - 07:38 PM

In fact Bartlett and his trolls(they have been trolling longer than anyone) have this whole theory, that folk should be free, unsullied by filth lucre. It's british Empire amateurism all over again. Got to stop the smelly working people, especially those irish from getting in. Bartlett's group in Vancouver has chased out almost every irish or scots gael they have evet had. Folk for the rich middle class. Sing along. No professionalism wanted. No music ability required.

The middle clas have an infinite ability to reinvent themselves as more moral than you in any venue, but in folk, rich people like peggy seager(Bartlett's god) have tried to lay down the law. No complicated acompanyment. That might actually lead to ability at music over comming ability at polotics or class. And of corse you get rid of those pesky highly shilled irish muscians at the same time.

His group used to ban the singing of irish rebel songs, while Bartlett's fathe in law would come and sing his Hitler Youth songs. He would ntroduce them as"here are songs i learned in a German youth group". Nazi's ok, but no irish ned apply

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: MAG
Date: 19 May 03 - 08:41 PM

At least Peggy (and that's SEEGER) can spell ...

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: mg
Date: 19 May 03 - 09:36 PM

I have had the honor of meeting Jon's father in law and believe that he is not of "Hitler Youth" age. German youth sang before Hitler destroyed them and sullied the music by association but I hope they are singing the beautiful songs again. German does not equal Nazi does not equal Hitler. mg

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 03 - 12:48 AM

OK, Nameless One, I think you're getting pretty close to libel. If you have anything more to say about Mr. Bartlett or Northwest Folklife, please include your name, address, and e-mail address. Otherwise, your messages will be deleted.
You can say what you want (within reason), but you have to take responsibility for what you have to say.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: John P
Date: 20 May 03 - 09:17 PM

Anybody have any personal lists of "must see" events at Folklife? I'm going to take in as much Taiko drumming as I can, but I haven't poured through the schedule yet to find it all. I'll be keeping my eyes open for good blues shows as well -- any suggestions?

John Peekstok

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,ghost
Date: 21 May 03 - 10:57 AM

I'll tell you what I'd like to see. I'd like to see the festival organizers use volume as a means to sort out some of the loudest casual performance acts, like the drummers that gather near the fountain. With so little actual space to listen to so many acts outdoors, those who play loudest like the drum circles and "others" should be given a location to perform that removes them from dominating areas saturated by the most sound. The festival could offer them an inside location or one far enough away (on the outskirts of the grounds) as to lessen the impact of their instrumentation on the overall din of the already overlapping performances within the area where most of the performances are taking place. By removing those who would dominate by the sheer volume of their instruments the overall din would be lessened and the space in question could be more easily accessed by many more performing artists who have instruments of lower acoustic volume. This minority of the loud who have for years kept the majority of the quiet players out of the area should be delt with by the festival organizers. The good of the many should be placed before the good of the few.

The recent result has been acoustic musicians bringing amplifiers to the grounds to compete with the volume and thereby increasing the overall din volume. The festival then responds by creating rules against such amplifiers and sends out squads of security goons to browbeat offenders into submission. This does nothing but cause those playing quiet instruments to questions the legitimacy of the event when it doesn't even try to accomodate folk playing folk music casually. Entire groups like the bluegrassers have decided to start their own festival and give up on the event.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Don Firth
Date: 21 May 03 - 12:18 PM

GUEST,ghost, you have a point, but you're preaching to the wrong people. There isn't anything we can do about this. Try here, or better still, here.

I'll be there, Monday, 1:00 p.m., in the Olympic Room, with my canoe-paddle guitar, attempting to wheeze out a handful of songs and ballads along with a bunch of other fossils from the Seattle coffeehouse era. Bob (Deckman) Nelson and I may even attempt a duet or two.

Any Mudcatters there, make your presence known.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 21 May 03 - 04:49 PM

Good comments. I feel that most of the problems connected with the Northwest Folklife festival are basically problems caused by the sheer numbers of people. What started, years ago, as a rather naive 'getting together publicly' of some folk singing friends, has now grown into a festival of huge proportions. Several years ago, I wrote the then director, with a suggestion about how to gain control again. I was serious when I simply suggested that they lock every other bathroom door and put a sign that said "OUT OF ORDER." That way, nature would reduce the crowds to a much more enjoyable level. For whatever reason, my letter was not taken seriously, but I thought it was quite clever. Oh well! I am anticipitating this years concert with a mixture of concern and pleasure. I do NOT look forward to stumbling through crowds and crowds of people, trying to protect my instrument and aging body. But I DO look forward, very much, to joining some long time friends on stage ... especially singing some duets again with friend Don Firth.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: johnross
Date: 22 May 03 - 12:03 AM

The loud drummers in the lawn around the fountain have been a big problem for a long time. The Folklife staff and board have been trying to find a way to control them for many years. They've tried designating an isolated location as "drum central" or some such, but the drummers won't cooperate -- they want to be in the center of the action.

As Don and others have suggested, do let the festival office know that you want them to do something about this or any other part of the festival. I can say from much experience that staff and board read all those comments and try to take most of them seriously (except maybe the ones about locking all the rest rooms!). You can get comment forms at all the Information tents, and at the "Festival Services" desk upstairs from the Food Circus. Or just write a letter or an e-mail. Doesn't have to be on an "official" comment form.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST
Date: 22 May 03 - 03:07 PM

It's not libel if it's true. helmut ruebsaat is a former member of the nazu party and a former hitler youth leader. He still sings his Hitler youth songs, or used to. He did one year at folk life, but no one understands german or if they do they don't care. Germans are not really into rooting out Nazi's. Helmut was a member of the fascist secert societies at university, and has the dueling scars to prove it. This scandal is ok because Helmut and Bartlett are nice middle class.

But no irish need apply.

And thanks for the spelling advice, that certainly puts mag were she stands on real issues. Spelling over truth every time. Keep out those smelly working people who made your music . You can have the music without them.

Helmut's Nazi past is admitted to by his own daughter. At least back when she was telling the truth, don't know now. I have heard him doing holocoust denial ten years ago, haven't seen him since. However a former Nazi doing holocoust denial, pretty much covers the issue. And that ok at the Vancouver Song Circle, just no irish rebel songs. Might upset the nice middle class folks.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,Herr Ruebsaat
Date: 23 May 03 - 04:28 AM

Herr Bartlett: Alas! De klever Irischen arbeiten-class GUEST has discovered ze Nazi-British Empire MITTEL-CLASS plan at Volkslife 2003 to mek ze smelly Irischen arbeiten-class washen by zinging ze MITCH-MILLER sanger und by making ze volksmusik free. Ze DUELLING-SCARS gave it all away. Now ve shall have to listen to de SKILLED Irischen-musik und pay many thalen for ze privilege!

Herr Ruebsaat

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Haruo
Date: 24 May 03 - 01:37 PM

I am working today (Saturday) and going to a play in Burien (Quilters) this evening, and doing my usual multiple-churches routine tomorrow, so Monday will be my day for Folklife, and I'm thrilled to hear about the Coffee House Reunion. My wife-in-waiting and I will surely be there, and I look forward to finally putting faces on a couple of these names I tote around in my head. I'll be the one with the Japanese nametag and the I [HEART] ESPERANTO button (in addition to the FolkLife button, of course; we'll pay our dues!).

Haruo

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 24 May 03 - 01:39 PM

I am looking forward to meeting you. Please make yourself known to me. Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST
Date: 26 May 03 - 03:05 PM

of course it's all a conspiracy theory. there were no jews murdered, there were no people cleared from their homes, there were only nasty people casting aspesions on the decent democrats of germany and britian, they called them the brittish empire and the german emopire as a sort of costume party. and it's ok for e nazi's to perform their nazi songs at folklife or at song corcles, and it's ok to ban irish songs and it's all just a conspiracy theory. there were no bigot no discrimination.



pretty much what i'd expect from a sadiatic nazi, making fun of the suffering they caused

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Haruo
Date: 26 May 03 - 10:14 PM

Goebbels and Goering notwithstanding, the Coffee House Reunion was a great success in my opinion. Although most of the performers were known to me only as dimly remembered names from early childhood, that was before they took the stage. Starting with Bob "Deckman" Nelson and Don Firth, and ending with over a dozen doing "Hard Times Come Again No More", the whole three hours were a joy to endure ;-)

Haruo

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 27 May 03 - 07:46 PM

Hi Haruo, I appreciate you introducing yourself to me yesterday. And I also enjoyed meeting your "bride to be." You are a very fortunate man. I also enjoyed thumbing through your book of songs written in Esperanto. I even tried singing "Acres of Clams" (in esperanto), but I think it lacks something in the translation, but maybe it's just me! Good grief, I have enough trouble with FINNISH to consider taking on another language. CHEERS, Bob.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: artbrooks
Date: 27 May 03 - 09:44 PM

I enjoyed Folklife, and seeing some of the mystery names on stage at the Coffee House Reunion. Next year again, perhaps.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 May 03 - 03:22 AM

A friend of mine in Juneau made it to Folklife this year. I had told her of a couple of Mudcatters who were going to be there- She did hear Mary Garvey, and she said Mary is GREAT.

She had a wonderful time. She loves to dance so that's where she spent a good bit of time but she also heard a lot of music. (She plays flute and guitar) She was telling me about Dos, a beer, a Mexican beer...

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,reggie miles
Date: 28 May 03 - 10:24 AM

I was there sawing me little heart out for passersby.

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Don Firth
Date: 28 May 03 - 01:51 PM

The Coffee House Reunion was a blast! It was a real pleasure singing a couple of the duets that Bob (Deckman) and I used to do back—ye gods!—forty-four years ago! It brought back lots of good memories of singing together at The Place Next Door in Seattle, doing a number of concerts together, and of the two of us barnstorming in the Bay Area in 1959.

I haven't done much singing in public lately, and it really felt good to be back in the saddle again. Might just do a whole bunch more if the opportunity presents itself. I've been learning a lot of new songs—that is, songs I intended to learn years ago, but never got around to—and I'm beginning to think that I might finally be getting the hang of this. . . .

Many of the singers there I hadn't seen or heard in decades. It was a little weird seeing some of them after so long, because we've all grown in one way or another. Surprisingly enough, a lot more beards now (mostly on the men, fortunately) and a few, after achieving their full height, took to growing horizontally a bit. But then, who am I to talk? It was a real joy to hear them all again, and one helluva nostalgia trip! There was lots of swapping of phone numbers and e-mail addresses, so who knows what might develop?

I also noticed a number of familiar faces from the audiences at the coffee houses way back in the Sixties. It's really gratifying that, after all that we subjected them to back then, they wanted to come and hear us again. Amazing! Another thing was meeting Mudcatters such as Stewart Hendrickson face to face after corresponding with him frequently by e-mail, and Haruo, who also presented me with a copy of his book. Thanks Haruo!

I cannot thank John Ross enough for putting this whole thing together. He worked like a beaver on this. It was well planned, and it ran like clockwork. But at the same time, it was flexible enough to allow for occasional impromptu bits such as people who were scheduled to sing solo inviting others to join them on stage, just as we often did back in "Ye Olde Days" (e.g, Alice Stuart's and Steve Lalor's duets, and Alice, Steve, and Paul Gillingham doing a beautiful, touching rendition of He Was a Friend of Mine). Gorgeous stuff!

John Ross also smoothed the way for me. I use a wheelchair, and John badgered the Powers That Be for a nearby parking permit so that after dropping me off, Barbara wouldn't have to hunt for a parking space; and he arranged to have one of the Folklife Festival staff meet me and push me to the Olympic room so that I wouldn't wear out my shoulders. He also took care of my performer's registration, so I wouldn't need to go all the way across the Seattle Center grounds and back again. And the staff members I encountered did yeoman service. They were courteous, attentive, very attuned to the needs and wishes of the performers, and, with Bob Nelson supervising (thanks, Bob!), were ready at hand to lift me and my wheelchair safely onto the stage and back down again. The whole thing was a great experience. Kudos to all!! And thank you!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Deckman
Date: 28 May 03 - 01:57 PM

Don ... you've never sounded better! Bob

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Don Firth
Date: 28 May 03 - 02:43 PM

And you, milad. Soundin' good!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Benjamin
Date: 28 May 03 - 09:53 PM

I stopped in the reunion briefly, but was unfortunately unable to stay. A friend of mine was on the bluegrass stage at 3:40 that day. Sorry I didn't get say hi to you guys!
Art, I also missed you. I was looking for the mudcat t-shirt you said you'd be wearing, but didn't see one.
Still, I enjoyed everything I saw! Thanks!
Benjamin

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:27 PM

I couldn't catch it all but I caught Bob & Don and Sally & John Ashford. What a blast! Sally & John were our first connection to Seattle folk song back in 1975. Their Sat. night parties - a house so chockablock with singers you couldn't get to the kitchen - were the highlight of the festival for us. It's probably where we met John Dwyer and Bob Nelson and ?possibly Walt Robertson. So, good on you all for a great show and thanks to our organizing maestro, without whom lots of things would fall to the ground - John Ross.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Who's Going to Northwest Folklife 2003
From: GUEST,BILL FISHMAN
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 12:04 PM

2005 WILL BE MY 33rd year.It has been the best experience of my life. After two marriages,ten dog, 15 cars,and many miles of life, it is the one event that has kept me going forward. I now live in Florida but will continue to go until my life is over.SUPPORT FOLKLIFE!