- [Announcer] Produced in Athens at the Ohio University Telecommunication Center.

The following program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

(audience cheering) - [Emcee] from Athens, Ohio, Ramblin' with Ramblin' Jack Elliott.

(audience applauding) (acoustic guitar music) - Here's a song I learned from a cowboy in a rodeo in Brussels sometime back.

George Williams taught me this song.

This is an old cowboy song, it's called Diamond Joe.

♪ There is a man you heard about ♪ ♪ Most every place you go ♪ ♪ Holdings are in Texas ♪ ♪ And his name is Diamond Joe ♪ ♪ Carries all his money ♪ ♪ In a diamond-studded jar ♪ ♪ And he never was much bothered ♪ ♪ By the process of the law ♪ ♪ But I hired out to Diamond Joe boys ♪ ♪ I did offer him my hand ♪ ♪ Gave me a string of horses ♪ ♪ So old they could not stand ♪ ♪ Like to starved to death boys ♪ ♪ He did mistreat me so ♪ ♪ I never saved a dollar ♪ ♪ In the pay of Diamond Joe ♪ ♪ Well his bread it was corn dodger ♪ ♪ Meat I couldn't chaw ♪ ♪ Drove me near distracted ♪ ♪ With the wagging of his jaw ♪ ♪ Tell another story ♪ ♪ As I aim to let you know ♪ ♪ There never was a rounder ♪ ♪ That lied like Diamond Joe ♪ ♪ Well I tried three times to quit him boys ♪ ♪ But he did argue so ♪ ♪ Then I'm still pitching cattle ♪ ♪ In the pay of Diamond Joe ♪ ♪ And when I'm called up yonder ♪ ♪ And it comes my time to go ♪ ♪ Give my blankets to my buddies ♪ ♪ And give the fleas to Diamond Joe ♪ (audience cheering) Wow, mean old guy.

Thanks a lot.

Well as time marches on, and dinosaurs are all gone, and the fossil fuel is going away, and we're burning up all our gasoline.

We're gonna go back to mules and horses and sailing ships once again, and I love it, 'cause I never, (audience cheers) I've always been in favor of horses and sailing ships anyway, I don't, never did cotton to steamships.

Although I kinda dug them diesel trucks a lot.

(audience laughing) So I got a song here, it's one old timer, it's called The Mule Skinner Blues.

I used to sing this song on the streets of Paris 'cause there wasn't any language barrier about it.

Sing it against them trucks and buses on the street.

The French people seemed to like it real well.

They didn't like anything else I sung, but they liked this song.

♪ Good morning captain ♪ ♪ Good morning son ♪ ♪ Good morning captain ♪ ♪ Good morning son ♪ ♪ Do you need another mule skinner ♪ ♪ Out on your new mud run ♪ ♪ Yo-De-La-Hee do-ooh ♪ ♪ Yo-De-La-Hee hoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Hoo hoo hoo hoo ♪ ♪ I like to work I'm rolling all the time ♪ ♪ I like to work ♪ ♪ I'm rolling all the time ♪ ♪ I can pop my initials ♪ ♪ On a mule's behind ♪ ♪ Hey little water boy ♪ ♪ Won't you bring the water round ♪ ♪ And I say hey water boy ♪ ♪ Bring that water round ♪ ♪ If you don't like your job ♪ ♪ Sit that water bucket down ♪ ♪ Yo-De-La-Hee ♪ ♪ Woo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoo ♪ (audience applauding) Mule Skinner Blues.

(audience cheering) A tribute to all you young mule skinners.

Here's another one that Woody wrote, called The Talking Fishes.

♪ I went down to the fishing hole ♪ ♪ I carried along my fishing pole ♪ ♪ Something got my hook and he grabbed my bait ♪ ♪ And jerked me out in the middle of the lake ♪ ♪ Some jump ♪ ♪ I got sunk ♪ ♪ Baptized on credit ♪ ♪ Fishing down on the muddy bank ♪ ♪ And I felt a pull and I give a big yank ♪ ♪ And I jerked out two old rubber boots ♪ ♪ And a Ford radiator and a Chevrolet Coupe ♪ ♪ Handed them in for national defense ♪ ♪ You go fishing I'll tell you what to do ♪ ♪ Just set right down in the grassy dew ♪ ♪ Take a piece of string and tie on your pole ♪ ♪ And throw it way out in the middle of the hole ♪ ♪ And then just find a good shade tree ♪ ♪ Sit down go to sleep ♪ ♪ Forget all about it ♪ ♪ Stagnant water's a stinking thing ♪ ♪ Slick on top and all turned green ♪ ♪ When the water goes bad the fish all run ♪ ♪ You can set all day and not catch a-one ♪ ♪ 'cept mud wallopers ♪ ♪ Garfish ♪ ♪ Few little suckers ♪ ♪ I was setting in the boat with a bucket of beer ♪ ♪ And I hadn't caught nothing and I didn't much care ♪ ♪ I guess I was pretty well satisfied ♪ ♪ I had my little lady right by my side ♪ ♪ Taking it easy ♪ ♪ Worm been gone off that hook for a couple hours ♪ ♪ Jumped in the river and I went down deep ♪ ♪ There's a 100-pound catfish laying there asleep ♪ ♪ I jumped on his back I rode him into town ♪ ♪ Saddled him up and then turned around ♪ ♪ Folks come running ♪ ♪ Dogs barking ♪ ♪ Kids looking ♪ ♪ I waded across to a sandy bar ♪ ♪ And I caught myself a big alligator gar ♪ ♪ And I drug him home across my back ♪ ♪ Tail's a-dragging a mile and a half ♪ ♪ Flipping and flopping ♪ ♪ Sold him for a quarter ♪ ♪ Got drunk ♪ ♪ Shot craps ♪ ♪ Got in jail ♪ ♪ Late last night I had me a dream ♪ ♪ I was out fishing in a whiskey stream ♪ ♪ And I baited my hook with apple jack ♪ ♪ I'd throw out a drink bring a gallon back ♪ ♪ Done pretty good ♪ ♪ Til the stream run dry ♪ ♪ So I give the fish back to the finance company ♪ (audience cheering) What a trick.

Thank you.

♪ Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe ♪ ♪ If'n you don't know by now ♪ ♪ And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe ♪ ♪ It'll never do somehow ♪ ♪ When your rooster crows at the break of dawn ♪ ♪ Look at your window and I'll be gone ♪ ♪ You're the reason I'm a-traveling on ♪ ♪ But don't think twice it's all right ♪ ♪ And it ain't no use in a-calling out my name gal ♪ ♪ Like you never done before ♪ ♪ Ain't no use in a-calling out my name gal ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't hear you anymore ♪ ♪ Thinking and a-wondering walking down the road ♪ ♪ How I once loved a woman a child I'm told ♪ ♪ Give her my heart but she wanted my soul ♪ ♪ But don't think twice it's all right ♪ ♪ And it ain't no use in a-turning on your light babe ♪ ♪ The light I never knowed ♪ ♪ Ain't no use in a-turning on your light babe ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm on the dark side of the road ♪ ♪ Still I wish there was something you would do or say ♪ ♪ To try and make me change my mind and stay ♪ ♪ We never did too much talking anyway ♪ ♪ But don't think twice it's all right ♪ ♪ So long honey babe ♪ ♪ Where I'm bound I can't tell ♪ ♪ Goodbye is too good a word babe ♪ ♪ So I'll just say fare-the-well ♪ ♪ I ain't saying you treated me unkind ♪ ♪ Could have done better but I don't mind ♪ ♪ You just kinds wasted my precious time ♪ ♪ But don't think twice it's all right ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

There used to be a lady that lived up in the Big Sur country her name was Lillian Boss Ross.

She lived across the way from Henry Miller.

She wrote this song, it's called The South Coast.

♪ My name is Juanano de Castro ♪ ♪ My father was a Spanish grandee ♪ ♪ But I won my wife in a card game ♪ ♪ To hell with those lords o'er the sea ♪ ♪ Well the South coast is a wild coast and lonely ♪ ♪ You might win in a game at Jolon ♪ ♪ But a lion still rules the Barranca ♪ ♪ And a man there is always alone ♪ ♪ I played in a card game at Jolon ♪ ♪ I played there with an hombre named Juan ♪ ♪ And after I'd taken his money ♪ ♪ I staked all against his daughter Dawn ♪ ♪ I picked up the ace I had won her ♪ ♪ My heart it was down at my feet ♪ ♪ Jumped up to my throat in a hurry ♪ ♪ Like a young summer's day she was sweet ♪ ♪ And he opened the door to the kitchen ♪ ♪ And he called the girl out with a curse ♪ ♪ Saying take her, Goddamn her, you won her ♪ ♪ She's yours now for better or worse ♪ ♪ Her arms had to tighten around me ♪ ♪ As we rode down the hills to the South ♪ ♪ Not a word did I hear from her that day ♪ ♪ Nor a kiss from her pretty red mouth ♪ ♪ That was a gay happy winter ♪ ♪ We carved on a cradle of pine ♪ ♪ By the fire in that neat little shanty ♪ ♪ And I sang with that gay wife of mine ♪ ♪ But the South Coast is a wild coast and lonely ♪ ♪ You might win in a game at Jolon ♪ ♪ But a lion still rules the Barranca ♪ ♪ And a man there is always alone ♪ ♪ That night I got hurt in a landslide ♪ ♪ Crushed hip and twice broken bone ♪ ♪ She saddled her pony like lightning ♪ ♪ And rode off for the doctor at Jolon ♪ ♪ The lion screamed in the Barranca ♪ ♪ Buck he bolted and he fell on his side ♪ ♪ My young wife lay dead in the moonlight ♪ ♪ My heart died that night with my bride ♪ ♪ Well the South Coast is wild coast and lonely ♪ ♪ You might win in a game at Jolon ♪ ♪ But a lion still rules the Barranca ♪ ♪ And a man there ♪ ♪ A man there is always alone ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

Another old cowboy song called The Buffalo Skinners.

♪ Come all you old time cowboys ♪ ♪ And listen to my song ♪ ♪ Please do not grow weary ♪ ♪ I'll not detain you long ♪ ♪ Concerning some wild cowboys ♪ ♪ That did agree to go ♪ ♪ Spend one summer pleasant ♪ ♪ On the trail of buffalo ♪ ♪ Well I found myself in Griffin ♪ ♪ In the year of '83 ♪ ♪ When a well-known famous drover ♪ ♪ Come a-walking up to me ♪ ♪ Saying how do you do young fellow ♪ ♪ And how'd you like to go ♪ ♪ Spend one summer pleasant ♪ ♪ On the trail of buffalo ♪ ♪ Well me being out of work right then ♪ ♪ To this drover I did say ♪ ♪ This going out on the buffalo road ♪ ♪ Depends upon your pay ♪ ♪ But if you pay good wages ♪ ♪ Transportation to and fro ♪ ♪ Think I might go with you ♪ ♪ On the hunt of buffalo ♪ ♪ Yes I will pay good wages ♪ ♪ And transportation too ♪ ♪ If you'd agree to work for me ♪ ♪ Until the season's through ♪ ♪ But if you do grow homesick ♪ ♪ And you try to run away ♪ ♪ You starve to death out on the trail ♪ ♪ And also lose your pay ♪ ♪ Well with all this flattering talking ♪ ♪ He signed up quite a train ♪ ♪ Some 10 or 12 in number ♪ ♪ Some able-bodied men ♪ ♪ Our trip it was a pleasant one ♪ ♪ As we hit the westwards road ♪ ♪ Until we reached old Foggy Creek ♪ ♪ In old New Mexico ♪ ♪ Was there our pleasures ended ♪ ♪ And our troubles all begun ♪ ♪ A lightning storm it hit us ♪ ♪ And it made the cattle run ♪ ♪ I got all full of stickers ♪ ♪ From the cactus that did grow ♪ ♪ Outlaws watching ♪ ♪ Start to pick us off ♪ ♪ From the hills of Mexico ♪ ♪ Well our working season ended ♪ ♪ And our drover would not pay ♪ ♪ You went and drunk too much ♪ ♪ You're all in debt to me ♪ ♪ But the cowboys never had heard ♪ ♪ Of such a thing as a bankrupt law ♪ ♪ So we left that drover's bones to bleach ♪ ♪ On the plains of the buffalo ♪ (audience cheering) Wow, thank you.

Thanks a lot.

This one's an old song from Arizona.

It was written by a cowboy name Gail I Gardner who was about 90 years old when I talked to him on the phone 14 years ago.

I don't know how old he is now, but he's probably still riding up there in Northern Arizona.

I talked to him on the phone, I was visiting my old buddy Peter LaFarge, who was a songwriter and a cowboy, and he was penned up in New York City trying to be a folksinger and a recording artist.

It was a sad story, but I went to visit Peter one day in his apartment in the Upper East Side there, and he was talking on the telephone to this man out in Arizona, Mr. Gardner, Gail I Gardner, who wrote this song.

He says, "Jack, would you like to say hello "to Gail I Gardner?"

I says, "Yeah, sure, golly day, really put him on."

Handed me the telephone, I said, "Hello Mr. Gardner, "I've been singing your song and everybody loves it.

"It's my favorite cowboy song, the one about "the two old cowboys up in the mountains there, "going up and roping the devil and all."

He said, "Yeah," he says, "have you got the words right?"

I says, "I don't know, I guess I do, I don't know."

So he sent me a copy of the words.

He took down my address and he sent me a whole book of poems and songs that he had written, and he performs them every year at the big annual trail ride up there in Prescott, Arizona.

It was called Orejana Bull, For Cowboys Only and it had all the words to all these songs.

Rusty Jiggs and Sandy Sam tying knots in the devil's tail.

♪ It was way high up in the Sierry Petes ♪ ♪ Where the yellow pines grow tall ♪ ♪ Rusty Jiggs And Sandy Sam ♪ ♪ Had a round-up camp last fall ♪ ♪ And they had their ponies and their running irons ♪ ♪ And maybe a dog or two ♪ ♪ And they 'lowed they'd brand every lop-eared calf ♪ ♪ That came within their view ♪ ♪ Well many a lop-eared dogie ♪ ♪ That didn't hush up by day ♪ ♪ Had his long ears whittled and his old hide scorched ♪ ♪ In a most artistic way ♪ ♪ Then says Rusty Jiggs to Sandy Sam ♪ ♪ As he throwed his ciggo down ♪ ♪ I'm tired of cow biography ♪ ♪ And I figures I'll go to town ♪ ♪ So they saddles up, and they hits them a lope ♪ ♪ For it weren't no sight of a right ♪ ♪ Them was the days when an old cow punch ♪ ♪ Could oil up his dry insides ♪ ♪ Well they starts her in a Kentucky Bar ♪ ♪ At the head of the Whiskey Row ♪ ♪ And they winds her up at the Depot House ♪ ♪ Some forty drinks below ♪ ♪ And they winds her up and they turns her round ♪ ♪ And they goes her the other way ♪ ♪ And to tell you the Lord-forsaken truth ♪ ♪ Them boys got drunk that day ♪ ♪ Well, as they was a heading back to camp ♪ ♪ And packing a mighty good load ♪ ♪ Who should they meet but the Devil himself ♪ ♪ Come prancing down the road?

♪ ♪ And the Devil he says you cowboy skunks ♪ ♪ You better go hunt your holes ♪ ♪ 'Cause I've come up from the Hell's rim rocks ♪ ♪ To gather in your souls ♪ ♪ Says Rusty Jiggs to the Devil ♪ ♪ Though I know we're tight ♪ ♪ No Devil ever took an old cow punch ♪ ♪ Without one kind of a fight ♪ ♪ So he builds him a hole in his old throw rope ♪ ♪ And he throws it straight and true ♪ ♪ He caught the Devil right around the horns ♪ ♪ He took his dallies too ♪ ♪ Now Sandy Sam was a riata man ♪ ♪ With his good line coiled up neat ♪ ♪ He shakes her out and he builds him a loop ♪ ♪ And he caught the Devil's hind feet ♪ ♪ They throwed him down on the desert ground ♪ ♪ While the irons was-a getting hot ♪ ♪ Cropped and swallow-forked his ears ♪ ♪ And branded him up a lot ♪ ♪ They pruned him up with a dehorning saw ♪ ♪ Tied knots in his tail for a joke ♪ ♪ Rode off and left him bellowing there ♪ ♪ Necked up to a big jack oak ♪ ♪ Now if you're ever up in the Sierry Petes ♪ ♪ And you hear a hell of a wail ♪ ♪ You'll know it's nothing but the Devil himself ♪ ♪ Raising hell about the knots in his tail ♪ (audience cheering) Wow, hey.

That's emotion.

(midtempo folk guitar music) ♪ Just stopped by to get a cup of coffee now ♪ ♪ Stopped by to grab a cup of coffee ♪ ♪ Don't give me no whiskey ♪ ♪ Ain't got time for wine ♪ ♪ I got to wheel that old semi down the line ♪ ♪ I seen your light coming in my windshield ♪ ♪ This old trailers about to shake my kidneys loose ♪ ♪ Bouncing down the road ♪ ♪ Going home empty ♪ ♪ Well I just take it black ♪ ♪ Black thank you no sugar for that ♪ ♪ Ah that's that's all right ♪ ♪ You make this stuff yourself ♪ ♪ You oughta bottle it ♪ ♪ How's old Flo anyway ♪ ♪ Yeah we just I just talked to them ♪ ♪ On the phone yesterday ♪ ♪ Says I better get home ♪ ♪ We'll be home tomorrow night ♪ ♪ Oh that old truck wore out about a year ago ♪ ♪ I got a brand new rig out there ♪ ♪ Look out the window ♪ ♪ That's a brand new KW it's only got 800,000 miles on it ♪ ♪ Ain't broke in yet ♪ ♪ Got them West Coast aluminum bug front wheels ♪ ♪ Twin screw twin stack ♪ ♪ Air conditioned sleeper ♪ ♪ Got my marker lights rigged up like a Christmas tree ♪ ♪ Keep all them other truckers away ♪ ♪ Blinking them lights ♪ ♪ Just a little more of that there yeah ♪ ♪ Ah yeah ♪ ♪ What is that a hat or say a cat ♪ ♪ I'll take it it's a Siamese ♪ ♪ A Siamese hat ♪ ♪ I'll take him with me ♪ ♪ Could use a little company ♪ ♪ No I need my cap I mean I'm gonna get ♪ ♪ I gotta get rolling now here ♪ ♪ I parked it right over the way there ♪ ♪ Yeah that's it I can walk by myself George ♪ ♪ Turn me loose let go ♪ ♪ Oops stepped right in the flower bed ♪ ♪ Boy that sure was some good coffee ♪ ♪ I can, that's all right cat ♪ ♪ I can, couch is fine ♪ ♪ Couch is fine ♪ ♪ I don't need no pillow ♪ ♪ Just throw a blanket over my feet ♪ ♪ Leave that foot on the floor ♪ ♪ That's my clutch foot ♪ ♪ You put that thing up on the couch ♪ ♪ I'll never wake me up ♪ ♪ Please wake me up around four will you please ♪ ♪ I gotta get this load in there ♪ ♪ Gotta get home tomorrow ♪ ♪ And I just stopped by to grab a cup of coffee ♪ ♪ Just stopped by to get a cup of coffee now ♪ ♪ Don't give me no whiskey ♪ ♪ Ain't got time for wine ♪ ♪ I got to wheel that old semi down the line ♪ (energetic folk guitar music) (audience cheering) Thank you, wow.

You're too kind to unwind.

This is a song by Tim Horton.

It's called If I Were a Carpenter.

♪ If I were a carpenter ♪ ♪ You were a lady ♪ ♪ Would you marry me anyway ♪ ♪ Would you have my baby ♪ ♪ If a tinker were my trade ♪ ♪ Would you still find me ♪ ♪ Carrying the pots I made ♪ ♪ Follow close behind me ♪ ♪ Save your love for loneliness ♪ ♪ Won't you save my love for sorrow ♪ ♪ I've given you my only-ness ♪ ♪ Please give me your tomorrow ♪ ♪ If I were much poorer ♪ ♪ Then you'd seem to see me ♪ ♪ Could you ever be surer ♪ ♪ That I could really be me ♪ ♪ Save your love for loneliness ♪ ♪ Won't you save my love for sorrow ♪ ♪ Giving you my only-ness ♪ ♪ Please give me your tomorrow ♪ ♪ If I were a carpenter ♪ ♪ And you were a lady ♪ ♪ Would you marry me anyway ♪ ♪ Would you have my baby ♪ (audience cheering) Well it sure is great to be back in Athens, Ohio.

Had a wonderful vacation, we went to California and now we're back.

Some of the same people are here.

I see some familiar faces, you haven't changed much.

You still got the same tee shirt.

♪ Well I was born in Dixie in a boomer shack ♪ ♪ Just a little shanty by the railroad track ♪ ♪ The humming of the drivers was my lullaby ♪ ♪ And a freight train whistle taught me how to cry ♪ ♪ I got the freight train blues ♪ ♪ Lawdy Lawdy I got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes ♪ ♪ When a whistle blows I got to go ♪ ♪ Oh Lawdy I guess I'm never gonna lose ♪ ♪ The freight train blues ♪ ♪ Airplanes and autos always leave me cold ♪ ♪ Steamboat whistle never stirs my soul ♪ ♪ The only thing that makes me want to navigate ♪ ♪ Is a wildcat whistle on a Southbound freight ♪ ♪ I got the freight train blues ♪ ♪ Lawdy Lawdy got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes ♪ ♪ When a whistle blows I got to go ♪ ♪ Oh Lawdy guess I'm never gonna lose ♪ ♪ The freight train blues ♪ ♪ My daddy was a farmer and my mama dear ♪ ♪ She was the only daughter of an engineer ♪ ♪ And my sister loves a brakeman and it is no joke ♪ ♪ It's a wonder how she keeps a good man broke ♪ ♪ I got the freight train blues ♪ ♪ Lawdy Lawdy got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes ♪ ♪ When that whistle blows I got to go ♪ ♪ Oh Lawdy guess I'm never gonna lose ♪ ♪ The freight train blues ♪ ♪ I was born in Dixie in a boomer shack ♪ ♪ Just a little shanty by the railroad track ♪ ♪ Humming of the drivers was my lullaby ♪ ♪ And a freight train whistle taught me how to cry ♪ ♪ I got the freight train blues ♪ ♪ Lawdy Lawdy Lawdy got them in the bottom ♪ ♪ Of my rambling shoes ♪ ♪ When a whistle blows I got to go ♪ ♪ Oh Lawdy guess I'm never gonna lose ♪ ♪ The freight train blues ♪ (audience cheering) Tell you about the first time I ever went to New Orleans.

I was in Washington Square Park in New York City one summer, 1953.

And here come this little blue Plymouth car from Los Angeles.

The two fellas they had traveled all the way across with a guitar and a banjo and they was heading down to North Carolina to hear some live music.

He invited me along on their trip.

I threw my guitar in the back of the car and we took off down highway 301.

We got down there to the North Carolina line.

Guy's uncle had a farm down there, he lived in a little town on the coast.

We got there just in time to go out fishing with a neighbor, had a shrimp boat, went out shrimping.

Didn't catch too many shrimp but we sure caught three sunburns.

Got back to the house just in time for dinner.

Southern farm cooking, okra, cornbread, butter beans.

After the dishes was done we was sitting out on the porch watching a thunder shower, and Frank pulled out his guitar and played a weird song about California.

I asked him about it the next day as we were heading west, heading for the Smoky Mountains.

Frank was in the back seat practicing the banjo.

Frank was always in the back seat practicing the banjo 'cause he couldn't drive.

I said, "Hey Frank, what was that song you sang last night?

"Remember, it was raining out on the porch?"

He says, "Yeah, that's the South Coast."

I said, "Yeah, South Coast, yeah.

"Great song, would you play it?"

"Nope, couldn't play it," and he wouldn't play it, and he didn't play it for about four more days until we had another thunder shower, it was just that kind of a song.

By this time we were in the town of Fletcher.

Fletcher, North Carolina, in the Smokies.

We met a banjo picker up there, he's a little old guy.

Must've been about 100, called him Maggie's old man.

He real name was Ted, but everybody called him Maggie's old man, he was from Maggie Valley.

They had named the whole place after his wife.

He invited us home to meet Maggie.

We headed up there in the car, but we didn't get too far before we was out in somebody's cornfield having a square dance with the aid of a bottle of homemade whiskey.

After the whiskey ran out we drove back into town and woke up the high sheriff and bought another bottle of whiskey for three dollars.

Homemade, best stuff I ever tasted.

Got back up the hill, parked the car and had to walk about another mile straight up in the air to get to the house.

They put us up in a big bed, Frank, Guy and I.

We pulled the covers up over our head just in time to avoid getting hit by a flying chair.

They were staging a family feud in our honor.

In the morning Ted, I mean Maggie's old man, he says, "Boys, I'm gonna show you a place "where you can see all over the world."

Got up there and he took us up to this big high mountain where you could see a little bit of Southeastern Kentucky, a portion of Southern Virginia, and a little piece of central Wyoming through a notch.

And we said goodbye and we coasted to Nashville.

It was about 400 miles straight down.

Saw the Grand Old Opry, met Grandpa Jones, String Bean, Earl Scruggs, all our heroes.

Drove to the Mississippi River and turned left, and headed down to New Orleans.

We had a name of a guy we were gonna look up down in New Orleans, a banjo picker named Billy Faire.

Looked him up in the telephone directory, but he wasn't there.

So we parked the car and took to the streets.

Walked down Bourbon Street, Rue Royale, Saint Peter Street and we ended up down by the waterfront.

There we found Billy sitting in a coffee shop drinking a cup of coffee.

We went in, said hello, had a cup of coffee with him.

He invited us over to his pad, which was located over at 912 Toulouse Street, T-O-U-L-O-U-S-E, like Lautrec, you know, like Toulouse-Lautrec.

Everything was French.

Walked up this back alley and over a board fence and landed on the concrete there, almost squished the cat.

There was a three-legged cat sitting there, the base of the stairs, next to a banana tree.

I think it was a banana tree, it had a lot of bananas hanging on it.

I ran up the stairs and up on a balcony and in a door there was a dark room with a chair.

I sat down in the chair, it was carved, I don't know, Mexican palm tree.

And Jack Kerouac had been sitting in that chair just a month ago.

Don't ask me how I knew that I just knew that.

I sat there and I was thinking about old Jack.

Music started coming out of the guitar.

And it started raining and I went outside again and looked at the rain and smelled the dust coming off the concrete there, and everything was cooling off.

We went inside and started drinking Billy's wine and picking banjos and guitars and singing songs and telling lies and getting acquainted and before you know it, the sun was coming up.

Nobody wanted to be caught out in that hot New Orleans sun, so we all split over the back fence and down to the waterfront.

Ended up in some bar there with John Truman telling a story about the sea, and the Merchant Marine and ships.

Ah, lasted about three and a half days, that story did.

After that story, it was a good'un.

We decided we're gonna ship out, around the world.

Went down to the NMU hall, gonna get a seaman's papers.

Well shipping was in a slump, it wasn't easy to get your seaman's papers, and it was kind of complicated.

You had to get a letter from a ship owner promising to hire you, and get a letter from the ship owner to the Coast Guard, get a letter from the ship owner to the Union, get a letter from the Union to the Coast Guard, get a letter from the Coast Guard to the Union, get a letter from the Union to the ship owner, get a letter from the Coast Guard to the ship owner, get a letter from the ship owner to the Union to the Coast Guard, get a letter from the Union to the Coast Guard to the ship owner, get a letter to get it.

So we said, "Frick it, we'll build our own ship."

(audience laughing) ♪ Did you ever ♪ ♪ Stand and shiver ♪ ♪ Just because ♪ ♪ You were looking at a river ♪ I gots to ramble.

Thanks for the water.

(audience cheering) - [Announcer] The preceding program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission, and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.