1988's Kerrville on the Road or Folk Aid Tour toured near and far with concerts from Texas to Alaska and then back to Dallas and Houston for more benefit shows. This year there was only one Free Concert in Hermann Park, before the 17th Kerrville Folk Festival.
17th Kerrville Folk Festival staff according to the program:56
"I think This was my first year on staff. I was on tickets."Bambi came here as part of Joe Bruenell and his Chorpus Christi Friends playing cello and singing then. They had an afternoon concert back before they used Threadgill as much and it was in the main theatre in the hot hot sun.57
Ned Mefford53
"My last festival...a personal memoir
The first weekend I think I worked comm central (communications). I don't remember too much more about the first weekend, except a vague feeling that it would be the last festival I attended. I got a ride back to Austin with Frank Hill on Tuesday.
When I came back Saturday morning, June 4th, I went to staff central to check in (it was at the side of the office at that time), I was told I needed to call my mother. I called and was informed that my sister had delivered a baby girl that morning, and that my father had died the same morning, after seeing his newest granddaughter.
I called to get a flight out of San Antonio, and could not get on one until Sunday night. So I decided to stay for some of the music, the campfires, and I knew I could find comfort from the great people I knew on staff. I have not seen many of you at all since then, but I want you to know I appreciated all the many kindnesses that came my way!
Most of that day has been blurred by time, but I remember spending several hours with Townes Van Zandt.
The next morning, after breakfast, I attended the folk mass, and during the public prayer part, I asked everyone to pray for my father and my niece. Tom Chapin was playing at that mass, and when he came up to the mike to play, he acknowledged my request, saying something to the effect, a man dies, a child is born...and then he sang his brother Harry's song, "All My Life's a Circle".
Tom Pershey58