A feature in the Tribune dated November 10, 1963, by Allan Holbert was titled “Folk Music Revival Has America Singing – And Minneapolis Strums Along.”  He reported that the fad had pushed guitar sales to more than 400,000 last year, leaving some manufacturers backordered as much as two years.  [Just wait ’til the Beatles hit!]  “One reason for the new popularity is the wide range of songs, styles, messages and performers that can be included under the term folk music.”   “Folk music in Minneapolis is the Monday night hootenanny at the Padded Cell, a night spot that formerly booked jazz and now offers folk music every night.”  Local groups were the Flinthill Singers from Washburn High School and the Yeomen from Edina High School, who put out a record but broke up when it was time for college.  Local groups going for professional status were the Contemporary Folk Group and the Goldbriars.  Guitar store owner and teacher Rollie Williams reported that kids wanted to trade in their electric guitars for acoustic models.  Performers around the U of M highlighted in the article were:

• Dave ‘Snaker’ Ray, “a shaggy-haired white student who sings Negro blues as few non-Negroes can.  ‘Blues Rags and Hollers,’ an LB album recorded recently by Ray, ‘Spider’ John Koerner and Tony ‘Little Sun’ Glover, has been selling briskly to traditional fok music fans throughout the country.”
• Jeff Gilkenson, John Hay and Rod Bellville, “three students who sing bluegrass, a kind of hillbilly style, under the collective name of The Down and Outfit.  They accompany themselves on guitar, banjo, fiddle and a cheap cello that’s plucked like a bass.”
• Jeff Espina, “the son of Spanish immigrants, whose guitar technique and voice are highly regarded by both performers and fans around town.”
• Maury Bernstein, “who describes himself as an international folksinger.  He isn’t quite sure whether he’s more interested in being a folk musician or a folk musicologist.  He sings in 19 languages, but he looks more like the musicologist than the successful commercial folksinger of today.  He wears tweedy old sport coats and bow ties instead of bright button down shirts.  His long curly hair would look ridiculous with an Ivy League trim, and he plays not a guitar, but an accordion.”