Here 'tis...

...said pic of Steve and me. I had visited him in NYC while he was in VISTA training, in late October 1966, just before I went into the service (I trust you'll remember all this, SN). We'd ride the EE into the Village and play hoots in those incredible coffeehouses. Seems to me we actually "landed" a third-billing at Gerde's Folk City, in front of someone else who played before Biff Rose. Those were some great times, for double-damn sure. To my knowledge, if any were even taken, no pictures of those heady days survived.

I think we figured out this picture was taken in 1968... He was living in NYC, doing his time with VISTA, and I was stationed in North Carolina, doing mine with the Marine Corps. I had driven up to the city one weekend, and we played 'til our fingers bled. I've always loved the expression on his face in this shot... totally engrossed in his music, almost painfully so... picking hand cocked just so... Classic Noonan. For my part, well... I look like a total dweeb... a single finger on the fingerboard, ridiculous military-legal mustache, and, yes, that's my tongue protruding a little. Regardless of appearances, rest assured I was absolutely in the groove with him... which we both felt was effortlessly repeated many times during the reunion.