03/22/2026
[Edit and corrections]
After posting below, I've come to realize the mistaken nature of the post. I actually had two entries in my calendar for the gig a Cafe Harris. I evidently played Cafe Harris in September of 1966, over a year later. Multiple sources attest to this. One from an article in a Hawaiian newspaper, where I paid a guy 50¢ years after losing a pinball game to him at the Cafe Harris in 1966 - And there are others.
My first performance wasn't really a gig, but a tribute concert for my dad (which he attended) that took place in New York City, at Town Hall April 17th, 1965. I was a participant. Pete Seeger had a big hand in putting that together.
After leaving high school in June 1965, I returned to my mother's house in Howard Beach, Queens, NY and for about 2 weeks (maybe a little less) worked as an office boy for Harold Leventhal, who had an office in New York City. I mostly goofed off, playing music with Pete Seeger and others who were being booked for engagements out of Harold's office. I took off for England soon after, and did my first real shows over there.
There was a pub somewhere in Newcastle which I played, but I can't remember the name of it. I arrived in the afternoon, and Newcastle Brown Ale, being local, was completely different than I'd been accustomed to - Stronger. I don't know how I even was able to stand up by the time evening came, but somehow I got through it. I also performed at the Keele Folk Festival going on about the same time.
Karl Dallas booked them all and took me to the folk clubs, where i met some wonderful people. I celebrated my 18th birthday in London. Now on to the original (albeit mistaken) post:
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
My first gig was in Columbia, MO at the Cafe Harris in late June 1965. Ramblin' Jack was supposed to be playing there and for some reason, couldn't make it. He asked me if I would stand in for him, and I agreed.
I had just graduated high school a couple of weeks earlier, and set out for Columbia. I played in the evenings, sleeping in the back room of the cafe. The rest of my time was spent wandering around Columbia, or playing on the pinball machine, located within the cafe. I can't imagine being very good as far as being an entertainer goes, but it was fun - At least for me.
I came across this photo of the old place while browsing the web years ago.
