Hi
I don't know if anyone can help? I have a 1963 song book - The nearly complete Woody Guthrie Folk Songs which has in the back an inscription - "you can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant" and a signature (picture attached). The book came from a collection of an elderly man who has now died so I cannot ask him where and when he got it but it was with a copy of This is the Arlo Guthrie Book and the little book of the song Alice's Restaurant - they are all in unread condition as is the WG songbook.
Although I have always been an AG fan - I still have my own 1967 AR album and saw him with my son, also a fan, in Cardiff in 2009 (fantastic evening) - I have never been interested in autographs myself so thought I might sell it on ebay here in the UK but definitely wouldn't want to if it is not the real thing. My guess from the other books in the collection is that it would date from the 60s or 70s.
Does anyone know, please, whether this is Arlo's writing?
Thanks very much
Frank Black, Colchester, UK

Frank, I have no idea, and I'm not an autograph specialist...all I know is that this is not the best place to announce you're going to put the stuff up on eBay for sale if Arlo did personally sign it.

I have to agree with Sue. Arlos not much on folks selling autographed stuff of his. If he signed it I'd say keep it and treasure it cuz you have something really neat and rare.

Yes, that's a legit inscription... adg

i would NEVER sell mine. what he signed for me is very very special to me. oh and Hi G. <3

Thanks so much for the info AG! I hope the person will keep it and treasure it. I know I would. We'll be going to Nags Head, NC on Sat for 2 weeks. Too bad they don't have you back that way. We enjoyed seeing you there the time you came up there to that folk fest in Manteo.

Thanks for your thoughts folks. Having read your comments I think I'll take Cheryl's advice and keep it even though it wasn't signed for me personally.
I have spent today listening to WG songs (I heard them first via a UK singer Lonnie Donegan, later WG's own recordings and then a lovely album by Country Joe McD and later still Billy Bragg's two albums) and working my way through the book. It is full of such wonderful words and some great WG drawings too - some songs are so sad and others made me smile to myself.
Thanks again for the good advice.
Frank B

Mention of Lonnie Donegan takes me back to my high school days. "Rock Island Line" by Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group - 1956.


mikey

Welcome to the site.

Belated thanks for the welcome Cheryl. I shall certainly keep a look in.
I see you are from VA - my son lives down the road in Suffolk (he's married to a Virginian girl) and is also likes AG. I guess I made him listen to Alice's restaurant rather a lot in his youth and it's rubbed off. He is a keen drummer and has just managed to get a drum kit as he couldn't take his with him when he went last year.
Listening again to AG and WG - one thing they have in common for me is that they both make me laugh which takes a lot for a miserable old man like me! I very much like Jeffrey Lewis who I think has a similar quality. I have seen him a couple of times over here but I'm not sure he is very well known in the US.
Anyway must go - best wishes to ArloNet
FB

You should check out the bench...

Hi Frank...I'm in Suffolk, Virginia...it's a great place to live . So happy to hear you are keeping the songbook. I have several items that Arlo has signed & i treasure each & every one of them. You will never see anything of mine for sale!

...the bench, Goofus? Is it a band? a garden seat? a fashion company? a piece of equipment for carpenters or weightlifters? a place for substitute soccer players in the UK? Is it near Colchester, England?
Let me know and I'll check it out.
...and thanks Cowgirl - its good to know my son is in friendly place - we miss him a lot.
Greetings
frank B

Suffolk, I was there yesterday on the way to Nags Head where I am for 2 weeks with my folks. They had a detour in Suffolk due to a festival and my mom got kinda lost but we got turned around okay and made it here fine.

The Group W Bench...just below the main forums...