A great day for folk music

The 31st annual folk music festival is going on today and tomorrow at the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. Highlighting today sessions was a birthday party this afternoon for the legendary Katie Lee of Jerome. Take a good look at her.

Believe it or not, she is 90 years old!

(By the way, I must apologize for the inside pictures as they are a bit blurry.)

Katie entertained with stories and songs from her long career as a singer, composer and author.

Sharing the stage at her party was Tony Norris, who sang a beautiful song about a cowboy and his Mexican girlfriend.

Also on hand was cowboy poet Gail Steiger, grandson of Gail Gardner with whom Katie used to sing and learn cowboy songs.

Also performing a moving number were the wonderful duo known as D-Squared.

Later I got the opportunity to wish Katie a happy birthday. I told her that I had heard of her for years but had never seen her. While I was waiting for her birthday party to begin, I said I was looking around for a very old lady in a wheel chair. Obviously . . . especially after she displayed a shoulder high kick on stage . . . that day is far away. Some people I was sitting next to in the audience said Katie bicycles about two miles every day!

There was plenty of additional good music outside all over the grounds.

Along with the scheduled performers, there were jam sessions everywhere.

Arizona's official state historian, Marshall Trimble, was on hand to entertain and chat with festival attendees.

There were a number of the infamous Shady Ladies on the grounds.

And one man who might have been an old time gambler.

As I said, it was a great day for folk music. If you live anywhere near Prescott, I'd urge you to attend tomorrow's second day of the festival.