The Nathan Didley Foundation is a Government funded archive dedicated to unearthing more information
about this enigmatic musician and Tie-Pin collector.
Little is known about Mr. Didley, although as time goes on more and more people are surfacing, claiming to
have known him, played in a band with him or to have sold him Tie-Pins.
Slightly eccentric, Mr. Didley was apparently obsessive about counting what food he ate.
Consequently from an early age he gave up baked beans and rice as he became bored with eating cold meals.
Musical Career (under revision)
Nathan Didley was born around the turn of the century, exact date unknown. The son of a share cropper. Uneasy with
parenthood his father left shortly after Nathan was born. His mother did not seem much better and so the young
Nathan was mainly raised by his Aunt Jessie and Uncle Jed.
Jed played Banjo in a Hill Billy band and Jessie, Harmonium in the local Baptist Church. Nathan always claimed he had no
formal musical training and was self taught, but there was certainly music and instruments in the house.
Through Aunt Jessie, Nathan met Elmore Nightingale and the two became firm friends. They formed The Footloose Four
in their late teens and played local gigs. They started to record and broadcast in the early twenties.
Exact details were not kept in those days and it is unlikely that the personnel remained the same, in some cases 'Hard Nut' was
doing time when records were made so could not have been there (Mostly for minor offences like Drunk and Disorderly,
Causing an Affray and two counts of Possession).
Nathan fronted the group and Elmore acted as manager as he was the most literate and the only one who could be counted on to
be sober.
The group broke up in the late twenties, 'Hard Nut' doing a longer stretch, Elmore became an ordained minister in the
Church of Total Devotion. Nathan returned to the studio in 1932 with The New Footloose Four and made six tracks.
They did not sell though, as sounding 'Too Modern'.
The original masters are lost and I know of no copies in existence. The New Footloose Four consisted of Nathan, a drummer and
bass player and Elmore's Harmonica was replaced by a C melody saxophone - it was been rumoured played by a
12 year old Charlie Parker, but this has never been confirmed.
Nathan always said he returned to share cropping, but was discovered in the Forties working as a porter in a Chicago
department store. He earned extra cash playing County Music as Porter Didley. Also, in order to boost his income he
decided to take an evening course in Typing but as he was not very literate signed up for the wrong course.
This did result in his interest in Tie Pins.
Nathan was taken up by the post war Folk Revival and toured the college circuit, culminating with an appearance at the
Newport Folk Festival where he accompanied Pete Seegar and Bob Dylan in Seegar's version of 'If I Had a Hammer'
retitled ' If I Had an Axe'
Jonah Weingarten - Senior Researcher NDF
While searching though the Library of Congress Archives I came across
the following reference to Nathan Didley. It was in an interview with Amos
Winterbourne, the son of a share cropper, about his early life in Browndish,
Illinois, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1937.
'Sure I know'd Nathan Didley, Crapfoot we called him, he was a real wild
one. Used to go to parts of the town we never went to. The only white
people that went there were bootleggers selling bad Moonshine, and
whores selling whatever. He went there to hear what my Ma called
Devil's Music. She said I should not hang out with Nathan as he was
'white trash that would never mount to nuthin'. Me, I liked old Crapfoot
he was a lot o' fun and the girls were always where Crapfoot was,'
Jonah Weingarten
The Foundation welcomes contributions from anyone with an interest in Nathan Didley, the Man, his Music or his Tie Pins.
While every effort will be made to maintain content the Foundation reserve the right to edit pieces in the interest of space.
Note the accuracy of some pieces can not be verified by the Foundation. Any opinions express are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those of the Foundation.
Furthermore the Foundation can not be held responsible for any outstanding debts accrued by Mr. Didley.
Furthermore the Foundation can not be held responsible for any outstanding debts accrued by Mr. Didley.
Below are unsubstantiated insights into his life that have been submitted to the archive:
Last year I met Mr.Diddly in a Greyhound bus station in Chicago. He must have been around 60 or? so and still smoked 25 cigars,
a day.I recognised him by his glass eye and banjo case as 'Songs from Somewhere Sometime',
one of his recent releases, carried a photo of him.
He told me about his childhood days,of how his daddy, Skiddly Diddly,used to play banjo as Nathan cycled round their
garden in Browndish, Illinois.
I reckon, therefore,that this home movie dates from somewhere around the late 1940's.
Eugene Van Hat
I saw Porter Didley in '43 playing in Starsend, Moundville AL. He was on some kinda lap guitar with a steel bar which he sure
knew how to use. He always had a cigar and a smile which kinda enamoured him with the ladyfolk.
Anyways he was plum good apart from his wayward moustache.
Waylon Beentricker 1973
I went to a Nathan Didley show at college in the fifties. In my book he is a no talent drunken bum.
Fredrick C Boomer Jnr.
And he never returned my Tie Pin.
Fredrick C Boomer Jnr.
I was thrilled to be asked, in 1957, to act as support to Didley at an engagement in a club in Greenwich Village.
After my opening set, Didley borrowed 50 Dollars and took off with my girlfriend, with result I played the entire engagement
on my own. I owe my big break into Folk to Didley and Didley owes me 50 Dollars.
Oh yes and a Tie Pin.
Hank Davenport
Management:- Starfolk Inc.
I served Mr. Didley breakfast in a Dinner in Littleknown, South Carolina in the sixties. Most folk around here eat grits but
Mr. Didley said they took too long to count. He had three eggs, over easy, four rashers , well done, five hash browns,
two slices of bread, lightly toasted. and three cups of coffee. I thought he was a real nice gentleman.
When he left he did not leave a tip!
The prettiest waitress we ever had left that day.
Matt Prendergast
My Granddaddy, Pops Dillard, played bass on some of them early Didley records. I guess when 'Hard Nut' was inside an'
my Granddaddy wasn't. I knew 'Hard Nut' well, he an' my Granddaddy us'ta hoss around lots. Never met Nathan Didley tho.
My Grandma liked him.
Seymour Dillard
Porter Didley gave me my start as a country singer. I was just 18 at the time. I did not stay with him long. I dedicated the
number 'Wandering Hands' to Nathan on my debut album 'Chicago Country', it was also included on my 'Greatest Hits'.
Neither is currently available. Why not contact Media Records and urge them to re-release them. I sure could use the money.
And Didley still owes me $125.
Connie Pilchard
Re Nathan Didley,
Sir, I have in my possession a cylinder record of a Hill Billy Band playing the traditional jig, 'House Raising Hop'.I am assured
by the guy I bought it from on E-bay it features Skiddly Didley on Fiddle and Skiddly's brother-in-law, Jed Edwards,
Nathan's Uncle Jed, on Banjo.I am prepared to let this go to The Nathan Didley Foundation, if we can agree a price.
Please contact me with offer.
Hiram Quigley, e-mail oldwax at aol.com
Nathan Didley - Truly a Modern Minstrel.
Dr. J.O.M. Mallory OBE
Historian and Musicologist
Director of Music, Eton College
My Granma Rosie was real friendly with all them Footloose Boys way back. She was still singing them songs when she was 85.
My Granddady did not like them.
He had his own name for them and it wasn't Footloose.
Emma May Waybottom
Me an Rosie Waybottom followed them Footloose boys all over. They were good days then. We had a lotta fun then.
Mayanne Greenthorpe
Miss Greenthorpe at 106 is our oldest resident.
Dr. Irvine B. Carter. Senior Medical Officer, Softcreek Care Homes
The Sussex Genealogical Society
17 Overthehill Road
Brighton
Sussex
Dear Sir,
Two of our members believe they may be related to Mr. Nathan Didley and one to Connie Pilchard. We are currently trying to substantiate these claims and any help any of your readers could provide, family trees etc. would be much appreciated.
Yours ancestrally
Mary Piemartin Hon. Sec.
The Shoreham Tie Pin Collectors Club
Sir,
Mr. Didley gave a talk to our members, in December 1960, on his own collection.We found him to be very entertaining and extremely knowledgeable on Tie Pins in general. A good time was enjoyed by all. Before Mr. Didley left he borrowed the taxi fare to his hotel from our Chairman, even though I had already paid his expenses in full. It was later discovered that we were missing four Tie Pins and the Chairman's wife.
Col. Harry Carmichael V.C.
Archivist, Shoreham Tie Pin Collectors Club
I have been a Country Music fan for many years and I have not heard of Porter Didley. Did he ever record under this name? I am familiar with the work of Connie Pilchard.
Peter Horner
Peter: I am not aware of Nathan Didley recording as Porter Didley,
but he did make a guest appearance on The Andy Williams Show under that name, with Connie Pilchard as the featured vocalist. Although this was shown on the original broadcast in the States it was subsequently cut from all repeats and was never shown outside America. In spite of exhaustive enquires I have never been given a satisfactory explanation for this.
Jonah Weingarten
I came across this item in the Littlecreek Echo, dated June 25th. !926
Edited for brevity. Jonah Weingarten
Three members of the band The Footloose Four were arrested after a brawl in the Starlight Inn last night, following the group’s performance in the Temperance Hall. Minor injuries were sustained by some local boys and there was damage to the bar’s furniture and fittings. The three arraigned before Judge Henigare were Nathan Didley, Ethan Blackthorne and Abe Jackson. The fourth member of the group Elmore Nightingale was not present, he was dining with the Rev. Cannon and his family. All three defendants claimed they were merely protecting themselves from assault. This was supported by Rosie Waybottom, for the defence, who said the fight was started by local boys lead by Bull Townsend.
Townsend said he was only protecting the girls honour and preventing them from being abducted. Rosie Waybottom replied that this was nonsense and 'if Bull were not so full of liquor and jealousy he'd know so'. A general uproar in court was stopped by Judge Henigare threatening to lock up everyone. He later ruled that the case was not proved and released all three, but suggested they leave town. Benny Levon, owner of the Starlight Inn, demanded to know who was going to pay for the damage to his property. Judge Henigare said as Benny watered down his beer and overcharged his customers he could cover the costs himself. Sheriff Keepnoose and Deputy Ruskin escorted the group's car out of town.
I met Nathan Didley in pub in Glasgow when he was touring with Peter, Paul, and Mary. I could'n understand a word he said, I'd had a wee dram myself but he was drunk. I gave him a kilt pin and loaned him 5 quid and he left.
Ian McKenzie
That lush McKenzie would'n know Nathan Didley if he stood on his foot. The bloke in the pub was only about 25,
he was a roadie. He borrowed five pounds from me before he left.
Josh Macintosh
Who does that drunk Josh Macintosh think he is calling me a lush. The guy in the pub was nearly seventy and sure was Didley. Josh is just beefed off because he lost 5 quid, He should worry, Busty Lil gave Didley more than 5 quid.
Ian McKenzie
Nathan Didley did indeed tour Britain in 1958 with a package called, 'Folk America'. However Peter, Paul and Mary were in no way connected with the tour. The tour did include Glasgow. Mr. Didley would have been 58 at that time. In view of the disparity in apparent ages of the person or persons met by Mr. MacIntosh and Mr. McKenzie it is very possible that neither actually met Mr. Didley himself. It is not unusual for people to impersonate Nathan Didley, the reasons for this would appear to be threefold. They believe (a) it will make them more attractive to women, (b) it will improve their chances of borrowing money, and (c) gain them access to other peoples Tie Pin collections. Mr. Didley did not complete the tour and returned to the States early. I have been unable to ascertain the reason for this curtailment.
Jonah Weingarten.
Maisie Trott and me, we saw Nathan Didley at the Hammersmith Gaumont. We thought he was smashing. He bought us a drink in the bar after, he was a bit short at time and had to borrow the money off us first. But I thought it was really nice of him, cause he did not really know us.
I did not like his singing much. I used to like Dickie Valentine in those days.
Heather Weatherspoon
Nathan Didley played a concert at our college in Cleveland in 1959. I interviewed Mr. Didley for our college magazine after the show. He was very nice and polite and answered all my questions. In retrospect some of the answers did seem a bit odd.
I think it is a real shame how his management kept cheating him of his money, I even had to give him the bus fare so he could get back to town.
Lucille Lindindorff
Sir, is Nat 'Slow Drag' Didley who played Banjo for Eugene Hipp's Chicago Trad Five the same guy.
Manuel Gomez
Manuel: I can find no confirming evidence but the dates would put Nathan Didley in the area at that time and if there was easy money to be made it seem likely that they are one and the same.
Jonah Weingarten
Dear Sir,
Dear Sir,
My nephew Matthew is rather keen on the internet and he has told me all about the World Wide Web. I must say I do think it’s rather wonderful. He showed me that marvellous tool Youtube and while looking for information on the traditional songs sung by the Scottish Herring Girls in the early years of the Century (a little hobby of mine) I came across your admirable foundation.
It was rather a serendipitous moment because I suddenly remembered a story my Auntie Irene had told me. She was a secretary, for several years, for a record company in London and had rather a giddy time of it. I remember her saying that she was in the 100 Club one night (she was rather keen on an alto saxophonist for a while) when she met a very enigmatic fellow. He was an American musician called Nathan and he sung Goodnight Irene to her when he found out her name. She said he had got a packet of peanuts and was happily counting them until someone bumped into their table. She said that he was jolly hard up and she’d had to lend him his tube fare and enough for breakfast the next day. She said she remembered because his chat up line had been about tie pins which was rather strange.
She’s in the Sunnyview Nursing Home in Hove now but if you think it’s of interest I could ask her about Nathan Didley on my next visit.? Of course she’s rather vague these days but we get moments of clarity. I join her for Sunday tea and we watch the Antiques Roadshow .together.
Yours faithfully
Phoebe Mainwaring (Miss).
Phoebe Mainwaring (Miss).
P.S. Have you considered widening the research that your foundation does to include early English folk music? It’s still such a neglected area and that dratted David Cameron has cancelled the very little research grant that we did get. I must say I always think that the Women’s Institute would make a better job of it.
Dear Miss Mainwaring,
Any of your Aunt’s reminisces that are RELEVANT to Nathan Didley we would of course be interested in. However, although we would like to help you, unfortunately English Folk Music and the vagaries of the British political system are outside the remit of the Foundation.
Jonah Weingarten
Transcript of telephone conversation Jonah Weingarten / Helen Demantel:-
Mr. Didley worked for my Daddy at Bloomberg's Department Store in Chicago just after the war. Daddy's retired now and lives here in Huntsville with me and Dean and our kids, we got two, a boy and a girl. Daddy sleeps most times, but when awake still talks a lot about Bloomberg's.He remembers Mr. Didley as always full of fun and ready for a joke. Daddy says he never believed those stories about the missing Tie Pins from Men's Department, he reckons Mr. Didley just up and left because he was making enough money with his County Music Band. He had a girl trio called Didley’s Dixie Dolls an' Connie Pilchard from Accounts was one of them. She left Bloomberg's to be Mr. Didley's main singer. She left Mr. Didley's band and became a big star...... Just a moment... Daddy's woken up....He says Connie was a sweet little thing an' is she still singing?H.D.
Connie Pilchard is semi retired now but still sings the occasional benefit concert or other special engagements. J.W.
That's great I'll tell Daddy, he will be pleased. I'd better go, Daddy is coughing again. Bye. H.D.
I played with Nat in the late forties - we made a couple a good recordings that never came out due to some annoyin tickin sounds that the mic picked up from his old guitar. The engineer said he’d never heard nothin like it - almost like his shirt was made a metal or suchlike. Bubba Strayhorn
I played with Nat in the late forties - we made a couple a good recordings that never came out due to some annoyin tickin sounds that the mic picked up from his old guitar. The engineer said he’d never heard nothin like it - almost like his shirt was made a metal or suchlike. Bubba Strayhorn
Dear Sir,
Matthew has pointed out to me that you have added my correspondence to the Nathan Didley website which although laudable in itself does pose certain questions about copyright. As a part time writer of articles for various folk magazines and as a contributor to the Hastings ‘Barbara Pym Appreciation Society’ (BPAS) I do know that this can be a hazardous and litigious area. However, I felt that I should write again as I had some information for you, Auntie was in a very lively mood last Sunday (I am never sure if pears are too acidic for older folks) and we had a good old chin wag.
Auntie corrected me most vehemently saying that she encountered Mr Didley at the Marquee club and not the 100 Club as I had thought but it was in the very early sixties. She insisted it was still located in Oxford Street then and so it must have been pre-March 1964. She said she was rather an Animals fan and used to go to the Marquee with her girlfriend June and thinks Nathan was there touring with Sonny Boy Williamson. I am afraid that she got quite giggly after that because the old folks are allowed a sherry on a Sunday and I didn’t get much more out of her.
She did remember that Mr Didley had been quite fascinated by her triple string of seed pearls (She said she was wearing a lot of black then trying to pretend that she was intellectual and they looked rather good) Evidently Mr Didley instigated their conversation by asking if she knew how many pearls there were in total. She said that they both had a go at counting them but never got to the same total.
I asked her if she had met Mr Didley more than once but she got quite confused then and said that she had left her job shortly afterwards and had lived in Spain for a while with a writer called Columbus Wilson who was writing a trilogy set at the time of the Spanish Civil War. (I do not know if it was ever published).
I do hope that the above is of use to you while you construct a time line for Mr Didley. I am rather busy putting together a little talk for the next meeting of the BPAS. It’s all about love versus duty and is going rather well. (Mr Philpot and his projector are rather a sticking point but he does so want to help).
Yours faithfully,
Phoebe Mainwaring.
Dear Miss Mainwaring,
Nathan Didley only made one tour of the U.K. This was (in Nathan’s case) the curtailed tour, “Folk America” in 1958 -
Though he was in England in Dec.1960 as he gave a talk to The Shoreham Tie Pin Collectors Club.
Neither the 100 Club nor the Marquee was included in the schedule of that tour. It is of cause possible he visited these clubs while in London. Sonny Boy Williams was not part of the Folk America package, but Nathan was known to boast about all sorts of musical associations, anyone from Charlie Parker to John Lennon, especially when trying to impress young ladies.
Though he was in England in Dec.1960 as he gave a talk to The Shoreham Tie Pin Collectors Club.
Neither the 100 Club nor the Marquee was included in the schedule of that tour. It is of cause possible he visited these clubs while in London. Sonny Boy Williams was not part of the Folk America package, but Nathan was known to boast about all sorts of musical associations, anyone from Charlie Parker to John Lennon, especially when trying to impress young ladies.
It may be that your Auntie’s rather confused reminisces owe something to age and Sherry. I refer to the age of your Auntie not the Sherry.
If you have any reservations about our use of your letters on our website the answer is simple and in your hands.
Jonah Weingarten
Nathan Didley married my Mom, Lucille Overland, in April, 1922, in Rock Point, Alabama.
No Nathan ain't my Daddy, I'm from Mom's second marriage. Mom's Daddy was real against her marrying Didley ‘till he knew she was six months gone with a baby. Two weeks after little Bobby was born Nathan left for what called a 'music gig', but never came back. He left with 10 bucks of Granddaddy's money and two bottles of his best moonshine. I think Grandpa was more worried about the moonshine than the money, he sure weren't worried about Nathan.
No Nathan ain't my Daddy, I'm from Mom's second marriage. Mom's Daddy was real against her marrying Didley ‘till he knew she was six months gone with a baby. Two weeks after little Bobby was born Nathan left for what called a 'music gig', but never came back. He left with 10 bucks of Granddaddy's money and two bottles of his best moonshine. I think Grandpa was more worried about the moonshine than the money, he sure weren't worried about Nathan.
Belinda Lee Moore.
My Granddad was an engineer at station WKND where those Footloose boys had a regular Tuesday and Friday spot.From my Granddad's stories, they would roll up in an old Studebaker they had then. Elmer would be driving 'cause he was the only one ever sober enough to see where he was going.They always arrived with a few girls and bottles of 'shine. It would be a riot everywhere they went, but as soon as that red light came on they were real professional. They put on a great show every time. They were sponsored by Fretless Freddy's Fertilizer. In the commercials Nathan was Fretless Freddy the Farmer, he was a scream. The station owner, Peabody J Peabody, was always threatening to fire them, but he never did. Peabody knew who brought the money in.
Ricky Duke
A few years ago now, it must have sometime in the 90's, I was privileged to see Nathan Didley make a very rare live appearance. It was on a Monday night at The Station Inn in Nashville, he sat in with the Time Jumpers. Although his voice was a bit croaky by then, but his guitar playing was in no way hampered by his Zimmer frame.
Marina Uppanunder
Nathan Didley spent some time with us, at our farm commune in California, in the early sixties.We gave up personal possessions and every thing was held in common.The group was lead, although we had no leader, by Adam Nightingale. He was a very different type of person to Nathan but they got along just fine. It seems Nathan and Adam's father were friends from way back. He said he was a share cropper, but he was not much help on the farm. Adam just smiled and said, 'Nathan was his own man'. He sure played great guitar in the evening sing a longs, and enjoyed our unrestricted by convention lifestyle.
He eventually left to complete a previously, made musical commitment, he took our Minibus and said he would come back. But he never did. We called a commune meeting to discuss the loss. Adam said the Minibus 'was property and property was theft' and we were better off without it.
We passed a vote of thanks to Nathan for removing this attachment to the material world from us.
I thought he was a real nice guy.
We passed a vote of thanks to Nathan for removing this attachment to the material world from us.
I thought he was a real nice guy.
Honey-Flower Philpotts
I have received correspondence from a lady who's Grandparents grew up in Browndish, Illinois. and knew the Didley family. The lady wishes to remain anonymous because, in her own words, 'Granpappy would not want to be associated with no Didleys no how', so we will refer to her as Miss. A.
According to Miss. A it was not Skiddley that deserted the marital home but Nathan's mother Matilda.
She says, 'If Skiddley weren't there it was because he was doing time for moonshining', and this was why Nathan was brought up by Uncle Jed and Aunt Jessie.
She says, 'If Skiddley weren't there it was because he was doing time for moonshining', and this was why Nathan was brought up by Uncle Jed and Aunt Jessie.
It would seem that Nathan's first public performance was with the family group, 'The Didleys'.
Miss A cannot remember for certain who played, 'cause it was a'for my time, I weren't around then'. But from her Granpa's stories it was lead by Skiddley on Fiddle, Uncle Jed on Banjo, Nathan on Guitar, cousin Joshua on Mandolin and cousin Beulah on Tambourine and vocals, although all the Didleys sang.
'Granpa said Beulah had a real sweet voice'. The group were sometimes joined by Uncle The Rev. Dick Didley for spirituals and religious songs.
Jonah Weingarten
It was great to hear my old buddy Bubba Strayhorn is still around. I was afraid he may have gone to that big recording studio in the sky! I was the engineer on that 40's recording session he was on about. The noise he mentioned I always reckon it was Nathan' pocket watch too close to one of the pickups, either that or old Bubba's pace maker! Keep playing music.
Jerry Hackensaw
Or a tie pin?
Jonah Weingarten
I read on your website about Porter Didley's appearance on the Andy William's Show and have a vague memory that he was once on the Johnny Cash Show. Perhaps you could enlighten me.
Horace Ventura
Horace, You were right in as much as Porter Didley and Connie Pilchard were due to appear on a Johnnie Cash Christmas Special in the mid-fifties, but Nathan was dropped from the show at the very last moment. The reason for this is not clear, there have been various suggestions, including, Cash did not like being overshadowed be another country singer, or Cash did not appreciate the attention Nathan was paying to June Carter. The official reason was that the show was running over budget and cuts had to be made - Nathan was dropped because they said Connie was the real star. In the event Cash himself accompanied and sang with Connie.
Jonah Weingarten
When Nathan Didley left Bloombergs, ‘used to call himself Porter in those days, he came to work part-time at my Daddy's car wash. Dad didn't like him much, said he spent more time talking to lady customers than he did washing cars. He took a real shine to me though. Daddy didn't like that either, said Nathan was to old for me. True he was older but he still had those film star good looks. Yeah, when Connie Pilchard sang 'Errol Flynn's got nothing on him' she was singing about Nathan you know. Dad fired him in the end. I remember that time 'cause it's about then when Mom walked out on Dad.
Lucinda Grimaldi
Film star Delores Delamare was interviewed by Humphrey Pickles on NBC News recently, and when asked if it was true that she was friendly with Nathan Didley when she was younger, replied:-
'Well, the story is out now. Yes I did have a fling with Nathan when I was a young girl. He was crazy about me you know and wanted to marry me, but the pull of Hollywood and international stardom was too great. When he heard I was dating... No, even now I won't tell you his name, he is still married of cause, let's just say a major star of the silver screen. Anyway when Nathan found out about it he was just devastated, that's when he wrote 'Beautiful Eyes' for me'.
'Well, the story is out now. Yes I did have a fling with Nathan when I was a young girl. He was crazy about me you know and wanted to marry me, but the pull of Hollywood and international stardom was too great. When he heard I was dating... No, even now I won't tell you his name, he is still married of cause, let's just say a major star of the silver screen. Anyway when Nathan found out about it he was just devastated, that's when he wrote 'Beautiful Eyes' for me'.
Who does that Delores Delamare think she is? Nathan Didley wrote 'Beautiful Eyes' for me when he worked in my Daddy's car wash. Anyway a bit part in a couple of B movies dose not make you an 'International Star'.
Lucinda Grimaldi
Ms. Delamare is indisposed at the present time but has asked me to make the following statement:-
Nathan Didley most certainly did write 'Beautiful Eyes' for me. In fact I have his original hand written score, with a dedication to me and signed by Nathan. Furthermore one could hardly call the role of Ludmilla in 'The Czar and the Shopgirl' a bit part in a B movie.
Phillipa Thirkettle P. A. to Ms. Delamare.
Nathan Didley wrote 'Beautiful Eyes' after he had a vision in a dream when a young man. It was not until he met me in our commune that he realised that I was that vision. He said it was the most magical moment of his life and I feel privileged to be part of that experience.
Honey-Flower Phillpotts
We have had to date correspondence from 36 ladies all claiming Nathan wrote 'Beautiful Eyes' for them, at least 21 of whom have the 'original' hand written score, with a signed dedication. Also a further 17 claiming Nathan wrote 'I'll Miss You Tonight' for them.
Readers unfamiliar with 'Beautiful Eyes' or 'I'll Miss You Tonight' will find them on Nathan's seminal album 'Back to the Crossroads'.
The title track tells the story of Nathan's midnight visit to the crossroads, where he met,not the devil but the ghost of Robert Johnson. The version of 'I'll Miss You Tonight' on this album is sung acappella by Nathan and three members of the band calling themselves, The Dust Bowl Boys. The song is now a favorite with barber shop quartets the world over.There is a story that Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmmylou Harris were joined by Joni Mitchell to record their version. The track was never released as it did not fit with the Trio albums concept that the three were working on at that time.
Connie Pilchard returned to sing an alternative version of 'Wandering Hands'. It is much 'dirtier' musically speaking than the squeaky clean country version Connie had such a big hit with.
Jonah Weingarten
I saw Nathan Didley in a pub just outside'a Norwich only last month. That's Norwich in Norfolk, England. I didn't fink much o'em.
Jake Ostelthwaite
Jake - the band you saw was almost certainly a Nathan Didley tribute band based in Suffolk, England,. The band are sometimes called Naturally Didley and his Fooled You Four. I saw this group during a recent visit to the UK. I agree with you Jake, I did not think them very good either.
Jonah Weingarten
A few nights ago I spent a pleasant evening with the Canadian double bass player Ralph Cahill, know to all as 'Big Moose'. This is what Moose told me about his friendship with Nathan Didley.
'Yeah, I first met Nathan in the forties when he came to work at Bloombergs. Both being musicians we pall’d up and soon started to play together, in those days Nathan played that Woody Guthrie, Dust Bowl stuff he loved. We recorded a number of tracks which were never released, the company said the sound quality was not good enough. Which was a pity as Nathan's friend, Bubba Strayhorn played some wailing cornet breaks on a couple of tracks, which sounded great to me. I don't know what went wrong, personally I think the engineer just screwed up. Perhaps they were not commercial enough for them. What the kids wanted was something more modern, something they could dance to. Never one to turn down an easy buck Nathan traded his work boots for cowboy boots, called hiself Porter. We increased the line up and became Porter Didley and his Country Music Band. We were Nathan on guitar and banjo, Charlie Beatpacker on fiddle, Al Patterson was guitar and mandolin, then Hannah Dupree, called 'Auntie' by all, played piano. A real talent was Emil Poitiers on accordion, I was on bass and a guy called Vermit Hudson, how do you get a name like Vermit, I called him Vermin, never did like the guy, on drums.
We started to get more work and Nathan then decided we needed some girls on stage, so the Dixie Dolls were born. Nathan said the singing didn't matter it was what they looked like. The first was Maybelle, she was O.K. but then we had some real 'dogs', never the same girls two weeks running. Auntie looked after them and they needed it in some of the places we played in those days! Maybelle stuck it out and then Connie joined, she was just a kid, but even then she could really sing. The Dixie Dolls became a regular quartet and the singing became more important than the girls just wiggling their bits. And the venues we played improved too. After a bit it became obvious that Connie Pilchard was the star, so Nathan let two of the girls go and kept Maybelle to sing backing Vocals for Connie. Nathan said 'Why pay four girls when I can get the same money for two'.
We were doing just fine and then Connie got the offer from Nashville, and she was right to go, look how well she did. I figured, the boys came to see Connie and the girls came to see Nathan and with Connie gone we lost half our audience! Connie still came back and sang with us sometimes. She said it was better than the session musicians the record company got her in Nashville. Said they just came in, read the dots and then straight off to the next paying gig, there was no rapport. But even that was better than the group she toured with, just a bunch of kids trying to make it. Connie said it did not matter if they could not play as the audience made so much noise you could not hear and half the time it was just miming to records anyway.
Then Nathan got discovered by the Folkies so he traded his cowboy boots for sandals and took off on the college circuit. ‘Cause the band broke up. Emil formed a Cajun Band and I went along with him. Yeah, we're doing well, lots of work in Canada, which is good.
Jonah Weingarten
Finbrook, Waterlooville and Cadbury Solicitors
17-19 Trumpet Street
Liverpool
LP24 8SP
10 January 2013
Dear Sir,
WITHOUT PREJUDICE OR COMMITMENT
I have been asked to act on behalf of my client Maurice William Fortune who believes himself to be the illegitimate son of the (presumably) late Mr Nathan Didley. Maurice was the result of a short liaison between the aforesaid Mr Didley and one Mayetta Susan Fortune (stage name Mighty Miss Mayetta) who played the Greenwich Village area of New York during much of the 1950’s. She was a singer and a percussionist with a variety of bands and Maurice believes that she worked as a session singer on some of Nathan’s recordings.
After Maurice was born in November 1957 Mayetta returned to her Northern English routes and the bosom of her family who looked after Maurice while she continued to earn what she could in the workings men’s clubs of the North.
It is perhaps unusual but we believe that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) hold a DNA record for Mayetta taken during a later visit that she made to the capital during her final years. There was an incident involving some stolen jewellery and Mayetta was most unfortunately implicated.
Maurice would like your help Mr Weingarten to contact any other of Mr Didley’s legitimate and illegitimate heirs so that further DNA tests can prove parentage.
As executor of his musical estate I should also be most grateful if you could contact my company with details of the legal representatives administering Mr Didley’s estate so that we can contact them to claim Maurice’s legal inheritance which we believe might be considerable.
As a musical fan myself I must admit to a great interest in this unusual case, encompassing as it does much of the great lexicon of musicians who flocked to the Greenwich Village Folk Scene in the 1950’s and 1960’s and I should be honoured to do my part to add another small piece to the often fractured jigsaw of those years.
Yours faithfully
Anthony J. Waterlooville
Junior Partner. (Specialities Heir Hunting, IPR and Copyright Issues)
Dear Sir,
The Nathan Didley Foundation is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to the study and appreciation of Nathan Didley, the man, his music, and his Tie Pin collection.
We have no control or interests in Nathan Didley's finances or his estate, musical or otherwise. We employ no qualified legal staff and all the Foundation legal affairs are in the hands of an outside company of solicitors. The Foundation can be of no
assistance to you in these matters.
However, without prejudice, we offer you the following information.
1. We believe Nathan Didley is deceased, but have no confirming documentation that this is the case.
2. We have in our possession Nathan Didley's Tie Pin collection.This was an anonymous gift to the Foundation. It is our believe that this was a gift from Nathan himself, but we have no proof. The firm of solicitors who handled the legal side of the gift assured us that the donor was the legal owner of the collection at that time.
3. Nathan Didley never to our knowledge made any recordings in New York.
4. Although scheduled to play a season at a club in Greenwich Village Nathan failed to appear. (ref. Hank Davenport)
5.It is known that Nathan used other identities at times for a variety of reasons. Also other people have claimed to be Nathan again for their own personal reasons.
6. We know Nathan has at least one legitimate heir.
7. Finally the Foundation is not prepared to act as a go between, your client or your company, and any other party or organisation.
Yours faithfully
Jonah Weingarten
For, and on behalf of, The Nathan Didley Foundation
I saw Nathan Didley in the back room of a pub in Dublin in March 1963. He was playing Banjo and singing traditional Irish folk music. What's more he was very good.
Pat Maloney
Pat, in March 1963 Nathan was playing in a small club in Appledore, California. He has never to our knowledge toured Ireland, played or shown any interest in Irish folk music. It is not the practise or intention of the Foundation to offer free medical advice but we do feel that in your case a reduction in your Guinness consumption may prone beneficial.
Jonah Weingarten
This whole thing is just a scam, Do you really think that we are so gullible as to believe that anybody is really called Skiddley Didley? Anyway if Nathan Didley is still alive he would be over 110 or is he dead? If so why no reports of his death or his funeral? Come on get real!
Bertram Disraeli
Mr. Disraeli, The Foundation takes exception to the suggestion that 'this whole thing is a scam'. Especially as you appear to base your assessment of our website purely on one rather odd forename. For your information Nathan's father's name was Edmond Monroe Didley. His father was Monroe Lincoln Didley, who shortly after Edmond was born called him Skiddley, in jest. The nickname stuck and Edmond was known as, and called, Skiddley by all friends and family, as apparent by the correspondence we have received. Had we referred to him as Edmond people would not recognise the name. Skiddley always claimed he named his own son Nathan Monroe Didley after an ancestor who fought as a Union officer in the Civil War. When it was pointed out that the Colonel's name was Dudley and not Didley, Skiddley replied that 'the history books spelt it wrong'.
As to your second point, there are no reports of Nathan's demise because we have none. There could be a number of reasons for this. It could be Nathan was in another county at the time, this seems unlikely. We know Nathan was still active in his mid nineties but one would not expect him to travel far at this age. It could well be Nathan was living under an assumed name, very possible, him was known to use different names in order to avoid irate creditors, husbands, fathers and boy friends. The scenario we prefer is that Nathan realising the end was near, mounted his zimmer frame and rode out into the sunset.
Jonah Weingarten
I was the first of Didley's Dixie Dolls. When we all arrived for our auditions Nathan, he called himself Porter in those days, said it did not really matter if we could sing provided we looked good. This disappointed me as I really wanted to be a singer, but hey, I guess any job is better than none. The girls varied all the time, in numbers and quality, you never knew who would turn up for a gig. When Connie joined she was very young but already had a great voice. Then the group began to change from just pretty girls strutting their stuff to a regular singing group. When it became obvious Connie was the star Nathan let the other girls go but kept me on as a backing singer to Connie. I did not mind as I loved working with Connie and the band. When I first joined I was afraid there would be problems with my skin colour, there were a few in some places but Big Moose was always there to look after me. The band were fine except that drummer Vermit, but as Big Moose said 'With a name like Vermit the guy had got to have problems'
I met up with Connie a few years back and we thought it would be a good idea to have a Dolls reunion. We put a note in the musical press and got a positive response so we went ahead and arranged it. We had a wire from Nathan in Texas saying he would like to come but did not have the rail fare. I discussed it with Connie and we both agreed, that although we both loved him very much, neither of us loved him enough to loan him any more money. Loads of girls tuned up and I'm sure half of them were never Dixie Dolls. I think they just came for the booze. Emil and Big Moose came down from Canada, where they are doing real well. It was good to see them and we even talked about recording together. Hope something comes of that.
Maybelle Washington
Dear Mr. Nathan Didley Foundation,
I was very interesting in the videos of Mr. Nathan Didley on YouTube and in order to further my interest I decided to purchase some records of Mr. Nathan Didley. I have searched many record shops in India but I am unable to find any. Could you please arrange to have Mr. Didley's records made available to purchase in India. By the way, while searching for Mr. Nathan Didley records I found records by a Mr. Disley which were first class. Is this Mr. Didley with the name spelt incorrectly?
Yours faithfully, Sabet Patel
Sabet, The Nathan Didley Foundation is a none profit making organisation and could not become involved in any commercial enterprises, like the sale or export of records. But we will actively encourage others to do so.
The Mr. Disley you mention is almost certainly Diz Disley (1931-2010) an English banjo/guitar player, who was prominent on the British Jazz/ Folk scene. We agree with you, he was indeed 'First class'.
Jonah Weingarten
BREAKING NEWS
Alison Krauss To play Connie Pilchard in new bio-pic.
The story of how a simple checkout girl became a country music superstar.
On reading the above announcement I immediately rang the studio to ask who was to portray Nathan / Porter Didley.The spokesperson for the studio answered my enquiry with, " Who the hell's Porter Didley? He ain't in the movie". I said, if he had bothered to read Connie's autobiography, 'From Bloomberg's to Nashville' he would know who Porter Didley was. He would also know Connie never worked on a checkout, but was in the Accounts Department. After short pause, the spokesperson for the studio asked. "Who are you, some sort'a wise guy". And without waiting for an answer, hung up.
Jonah Weingarten
The Sussex Genealogical Society
17 Overthehill Road
Brighton
Sussex
Dear Sir,
I was most interested to hear Nathan had a son, Bobby. If Ms. Belinda Lee Moore, or anyone else, could be so kind to provide further information about Bobby my members, and myself, would be most grateful. Thank you in anticipation.
Yours ancestrally,
Mary Piemartin Hon. Sec.
I will pass on your request to Belinda.
Jonah Weingarten
Dear Ms. Piemartin,
I am surprised anyone in England would be interested in Little Bobby, well not little any more. Anyway he was christened Bobby Monroe Didley. Bobby was from Mom, she did not want Robert, and Monroe from Nathan, I don't know where that came from. He lived here in Rock Point with Mom, me and Mom's husband, my Daddy, Tex Polinski, dad's now passed on. Bobby was not like Nathan from what I understand, except he played guitar real well. He certainly didn't have that wanderlust like Nathan. Why, he never went more than 20 miles from Little Rock till he got drafted. Yeh, he got drafted in that second world war,and went all the way to Paris, that's in France. He never was one for letter writing was Bobby. He only sent us two or three letters, an' that's about two or three more then Nathan ever wrote to Mom! He said he had met a French lady and was planning to stay in Paris after the war. We had another to say they got married and had a baby boy called Jean-Claude. Don't know how he managed that, he never said much in American let alone in another language. Then, just a few years back, we had a letter from his wife to say Bobby got killed in an auto crash. I sure missed him when he wasn't here, I only hope he was happy.
Belinda Lee Moore
P.S. I thought you may like this picture of young Bobby with his dog. He called it Woody after some singer or something.
Thank you for that Belinda. I'll pass it on to Ms. Piemartin
Thank you for that Belinda. I'll pass it on to Ms. Piemartin
Jonah Weingarten
The Sussex Genealogical Society
17 Overthehill Road
Brighton
Sussex
Dear Belinda and Mr. Weingarten,
I was delighted to receive your letter regarding Nathan's son Bobby. I have researched the French records and have located Bobby's marriage, and Jean-Claude's birth, certificates. I have even been able to contact Jean-Claude himself, a delightful gentleman. I took the liberty to suggest he wrote a short piece about his father for your website Mr. Weingarten, I hope you don't mind.
I was intrigue to read in another item that Nathan's father, Skiddley, claimed the family was related to the Union officer Colonel Nathan Augustus Monroe Dudley. Of cause the spelling of surnames often do change over the years. Either accidentally due to error, when most of the population was illiterate, or deliberately, usually to hide ones ethnic or religious background. I would suggest error was the reason in the Didley/Dudley spelling. So far I have been unsuccessful in my efforts to find a link, but will keep trying.
Yours ancestrally
Mary Piemartin Hon. Sec.
Dear Ms Piemartin,
I am delighted that you have traced Bobby Didley and I look forward to reading anything he may send us. As to your hunt for a Didley/Dudley link my advice would be don’t bother.
I am sure Skiddley was just indulging in an old Didley habit, of boasting.
Jonah Weingarten
NDF
I visited Browndish Illinois several times while researching for my book. 'The Roots of Modern Americana Music' (now available at all major book stores) I am particularly interested in Nathan Didley as we have the same christen name. Those people I met who remember, or rather have parents or grandparent who remember, the Didleys appear to be split into two deeply divided groups. The pro-Didley and the anti-Didley. They all agreed that Nathan spent little time in school. The reasons were, 'He was helping Uncle Jed on the farm', or 'he was the wrong sidea' town listening to black music', depending if you were pro or anti. All agreed Nathan was a gifted guitarist. But the music he played was regarded as either 'good' or just 'plain evil', again depending on which side you were on. Nathan's liking for girls, and the girls certainly liked Nathan, was considered to be either a good trait or bad. The reasons for his having the nickname 'Crapfoot' varied considerably and most, whether offered by pro or anti, are unprintable. Neither group could explain the friendship between Nathan and Elmer Nightingale, as the two were so very different in character. Nathan, wild and unreliable, while Elmer was, steady and deeply religious. This was not just a musical association, they obviously enjoyed each others company and spent a lot of time together. You will of cause find much more information in my book 'The Roots of Modern Americana Music' (now available in all major book stores)
I was given the attached photograph which the pro-Didley group assured me was of Uncle Jed and Nathan on a visit to the big city, without specifying which city. But the anti-Didley faction said it could not possibly be Jed and Nathan " 'cause them Didleys never had no smart clothes nohow". They claimed it was somebody called Grandpa Easton and his son Walt. I have no means of verifying either story. You will find more photographs in my book 'The Roots of Modern Americana Music'. (now available in all major book stores).
Nathan Dickson-Lyne
Thank you for that Nathan.
Copies of the book 'The Roots of Modern Americana Music' by Nathan Dickson-Lyne are obtainable from all major bookstores.
Jonah Weingarten
Dear Mr Weingarten,
Forgive my intrusion into your Sunday evening but I have received a most momentous piece of correspondence via email from my American contact Martie K. Wisemann. He runs the Dakota Society for Indigeneous Music and I had mentioned Auntie Irene's possible link to Nathan Diddley. (Martie and I are researching the links between British and American Folk Music with a view to possible publication.). Martie had heard of Nathan Didley although he had run into so many brick walls with research that he had almost given up. However with the huge amount of scanned documents now available online he has unearthed a census return for Browndish, Illinois for May 1910 which seems to show Nathan, age 9 living with his Uncle Jed and Aunt Jessie. Obviously I can not vouch for the authenticity of the document and I would suggest that you are far better placed to confirm authenticity than I am but I felt sure that you would be most interested.
If Martie can be of further assistance he says he will be only too happy to oblige.
Yours,
Phoebe Mainwaring.
Secretary to the BPAS (Barbara Pym Appreciation Society).
ps I am afraid that the quality of the document is far from perfect but with the help of another society member I was able to enlarge it in Photoshop and could then read a good deal of it.
Happy researching as we always say to each other at the end of one of our lively evenings!
After weeks of nagging, from my recently acquired wife, I decided, Yes, perhaps I should sort out my record collection. Then, when going through some very old 78s, I came across 'Tie Pin Boogie' by Nathan Didley. I'm not sure if this is the only time Nathan recorded a solo piano piece, I don't know of any others. Anyway I think it must be a rare item.
Chico Armitage
Yes
Chico, it is indeed a rare item. In the 20s and 30s precise records
were not kept by recording companies, and now even those that were
kept have since been lost or destroyed. So we don't know exactly
what Nathan recorded, or when. We do know however that he made a
number of recordings that were never released. I did not know of
any solo piano pieces, so 'Tie Pin Boogie' is a new one on me,
which I look forward to hearing. Keep sorting your 78s, keep your
new wife happy and who knows what might turn up.
Jonah
Weingarten
My Granpa worked on a construction site in Arizona way back between the two wars. He remembers when Nathan Didley came for a job there. He said Nathan didn't have no money when he arrived on site, he use't to play and sing in the evening, and the guys would buy him beers. They got paid every week but if they made their target at the end of the month they got paid a bonus. Granpa said they all worked mighty hard to hit that bonus. Granpa was paying attention to a girl called Mabel, the only young girl on the site. Anyway the first month Nathan got his bonus he just took off, so did Mabel. Mabel came back after a couple of weeks, but Nathan never did. Mabel never did say much about what happened, but she would not have nuthing said about Nathan. Granpa said things weren't the same between him and Mabel after that.
Herbi Burnside
I would like to thank the Nathan Didley Foundation, and the nice Ms. Piemartin, for helping learn about my American family. I knew very little of my father's past in America. Papa never spoke about it, in fact, he did not speak much about anything. Ms. Piemartin suggested that I write to you about my farther Bobby Didley's time in France.
He married my mother, Josephine Dupree in Paris in 1946. He had decided to stay here after the war. A very accomplished guitarist he earned a good living playing in the many clubs in Paris. He played with many visiting Americans as well as local musicians, including Stephane Grappelli. He teamed up with a black G.I. who had stayed here, called Amos Backwater, Amos played violin. Together with two French guys, Alain rhythm guitar and Sebastian contra bass, they formed a group called 'Django a la Hillbilly'. It was while driving to a Jazz Festival in Nice that they had an automobile accident and my father was killed.
Amos recovered and still plays in clubs in Paris.
I have never married and live alone in Paris.
I hope this is of interest to you and thank you again.
Jean-Claude Didley
Dear Mr Weingarten,
Thank you so much for asking me to help with some of the arduous transcription work that the foundation needs to do. Although I have to work full time and my BPAS duties do keep me busy I am always eager to help with a fellow researchers work and anything to do with our rich musical heritage of folk and country music from both sides of the atlantic is always close to my heart.
I have made a draft time line for you. I can add to it as new material appears or you may wish to alter the format - just let me know. I have also begun a very patchy discography but really there is very little to go on.
My other news may be of relevance. I paid my weekly visit to Auntie yesterday and in a moment of clarity she remembered that her erstwhile lover and the supposed writer Colombus Wilson who she ran away to Spain with in the 1960's left behind an unfinished auto-biography when he passed in the 1990's. His estate is looked after by his neice Melanie Gore-Henderson (I know Mr Weingarten my socialist hackles rose at the double barrelled name) and she has kindly agreed to see me at her residence in Bath next week.
She tells me that he was going to call his auto-biography 'As I ran out one spring time' but the executors of the Laurie Lee estate threatened to sue him so he dropped that idea.
Anyway I believe that the manuscript may contain useful names and evidence on the London music scene in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Of course Colombus could embroider a shopping list but I think a trip to the West Country will do me good and I like nothing more than getting hold of a previously un-published manuscript.
I will let you know how I get on.
Yours truly,
Phoebe Mainwaring.
ps were you considering some sort of appendix with a list of the main people who featured in Nathan's life?
Hi Jonah,
I just read the piece by the guy who found Nathan's 'Tie Pin Boogie' track on an old 78. There's quite a story to those piano recordings. First, they are not from the 20's or 30's as you thought but actually from around the mid 40's, it was when we were still the Dust Bowl Boys. The Dust Bowl Boys where Nathan, me. Walter Green and Turk Morgan. We where joined by all sorts of odd guys for various gigs and recording. Some times they were regular musicians, like Bubba Strayhorn but more often Nathan would turn up with some guy and say, "Hay, this is Josh, a mean banjo player, I met Josh when I was riding the rails with Woody". Nathan was always coming out with lines like that, another of his was "when I was wood shedding with Charlie," I'm sure most weren't true. We had recorded 'River Bend Road Farm' which got some good reviews but did not make us much money. When it was released it came out as Nathan Didley, we thought it was supposed to be the Dust Bowl Boys. That was typical of Nathan. Walter was a bit narcked by that, it did not matter to me,I still got paid. Like I said to Walter, at least he got his name on the album, which was more than Turk or me.
Anyway Nathan was always getting these mad ideas as to how he was going to make loads of money. And he suddenly decided he could make a killing doing typing in the evening for folks and companies, only drawback was Nathan could not type or own a typewriter, and of cause he had no ready cash. "It's OK", he says "I'll just hock my guitars and use the money and when I've made a mint, I'll redeem them". So he does just that, but, as you have explained previously, he signs up for the wrong course and finds himself doing 'Tie Pin Appreciation'. Which gave him a whole new interest in life. But we were still scheduled for more Dust Bowl Boys recordings and Nathan has no instruments. "It's OK", says Nathan "I'll just borrow one of Walters". When we get to the studio Walter would have nothing to do with that. "If I lend him a guitar as soon as we have a coffee break he'll be off to the pawn shop and hock that too", said Walter, and walks out. Turk was drunk anyway. There was an old upright in the studio so Nathan laid down four piano pieces instead. They were 'Tie Pin Boogie' backed with 'Browndish Stomp', and 'Wrong Side of the Tracks' backed with 'Bloomberg's Boogie'. I think they sold quite well.
It was then Nathan decided that country music was where the money was, so he calls himself Porter Didley. I had to lend him the cash to get his guitars back, never did repay me! Walter said he was not going to play that country rubbish, I think he put it a bit stronger than that. Made no difference to me, I still played the same way. Nathan, now Porter, formed his Country Music Band and we were off. For a bit we were still performing as The Dust Bowl Boys as well, for these gigs Walter and Turk would come back. This was the time we recorded 'At the Crossroads', our best album I believe.
I hope this clears up a few points.
Your friend, Big Moose Cahill
There seems to me a lot of confusion and doubt about exactly where Nathan Didley was at any particular time. Weingarten just brushes this off as mistaken identity or someone else posing as Nathan. I just don't buy that as an explanation. For my money there is only one acceptable explanation. Nathan Didley is a celestial being, possibly from another planet, one that has the ability to be in more than one place at the same time and appear to be even different ages. Which suggests the question, is Nathan Didley really deceased or has he just chosen not to perform? Or is he still perfuming only on a different planet or in a different time zone? What do you think, do you agree?
Abraham Maddergasser
Sorry Abe, I'm afraid you're flying solo on this one.
Jonah Weingarten
Hi Abe,
Great ideas man! Me and five others are running a workshop in Glastonbury over the summer solstice and Mandrake Sabre my partner is planning to cross over to another dimension from the top of the Tor. We're hoping for a thunderstorm so we can harness the power (like in that film) and he says he can look for Nathan and get a message to him if he's like, stuck, in another dimension. He's got a list he's gonna say hi to Janis and Jim Morrison and he's totally into Nick Drake so thats who he's looking for and his dog Black who wandered off during the winter solstice but he's trying to contact everyone he can.
We've checked the ley lines and got the exact spot and he's going to wear a light reflective suit and it's a good chance and we were totally into your ideas about celestial beings and we think the membrane between the alternative realities will be really thin then and sort of elastic. If it doesn't work (but it will) we're gonna try again when the planets align or maybe at Glastonbury but we couldn't get tickets so we're trying alternative sources.
We've got all the information about Nathan off the web site and hey you won't fly solo like that Jonah Weingarten said because like we're flying all the time and there's so many people here in Glastonbury who just know about this stuff.
Keep flying Abe,
Oriel Woodpigeon.
If you want to send me any more info to help find Nathan you can get a message to me at the Bean Curd Cafe. Just ask for Weazel.
Mr Weingarten,
I've seen all this stuff that just appeared about different planets and different time zones and moving between dimensions and I thought, well I've never told anyone, but all I know is my Dad Wilber J. Jackson was in the US Marines and he got sent real sudden like to RAAF (Roswell) late in June 1947 and he got drunk on Grand Pappy's moon shine one time back home (the truth drink Grand pappy called it) he said weird stuff went down there.
He said a bunch of long haired musicians were passing through New Mexico picking up work where they could and he was supposed to clear the whole area because security suddenly got tightened up.
He found these drunk bums in some real low down dive and they were talking really wild about what they had seen and one was called Nathan Didley. He tried to sell my Dad some story about aliens but my Dad's job was just to get the place clear and he didn't want to know.
Nathan told him he was trying to team up with a writer he'd met a few months back but he'd lost the guys address and wound up back in Roswell.
Nathan kept saying 'they came in peace' but Dad thought it was just bad drink talking and sent them on their way but afterwards things got weirder still and he always wondered.
So I don't know about time travel and planets and stuff but one time Dad heard one of Nathan's recordings and he said 'Hey, he's that guy'. That's all I know anyway.
Brandon W. Jackson.
Writer in Residence
Lafayette Creative Writing School.