Linda Cohen & Michael Kac 

web site: http://www.kac-cohen.com

 Thursday August 17, 2006

   The Tin Angel

   20 S. 2nd Street 

   Philadelphia 19106
  

Tickets:  http://www.ticketweb.com/user/?region=penn&query=schedule&venue=tinangel

Linda Cohen Interview - Part I

PCM: A few years back I bought a really nice Silver Tone guitar from a woman who turned out to be your cousin. She was selling it because she was moving to Florida.

Linda: That would have been Betsy. Did she give you a good Price? (Laughs)

PCM: When I found out who she was and I told her what your music has been to me, she pretty much gave it to me and made me promise that I would never sell it to a collector, it must be used by a guitarist.

Linda: That is Betsy!

PCM: In my Bio, you are Linda Cohen (no relation). In 1977 I saw you open for Tracy Nelson at Penn’s Landing. That is what made me pick up classical guitar. Do you remember that concert?

Linda: That was a great day! I love Tracy Nelson!

PCM: When did you pick up the guitar?

Linda: I played the drums first. I was in high school when I started the guitar.  

PCM: Did you start learning classical guitar?

Linda: Well, my boyfriend at the time was a classical guitarist and wanted me to do likewise. I resisted because I was a percussionist and happy being a percussionist but by happenstance my Aunt Rita married a guy named Sam who had a son that had a cousin who opened the Philly Folk Workshop. So now I had a connection and my Aunt Rita and Uncle Sam said I should learn the guitar. After the first lesson that was it.

PCM: When did you start teaching/making a living? Was there a transition period?

Linda: I guess I started showing up places, like the open mic at the 2^nd Fret. At the time I was playing this fancy finger picking style and the folk boom had just begun. At the time there weren’t a lot of people who were playing that fancy. So I got a reputation for being very fast. They put me TV when I was in high school. I was on public television, I was on Chief Half Town. (laughs)

PCM: Did you ever have a job outside of music?

Linda: For a brief time when I came back from a big motor cycle trip and was broke. I worked at my fathers office checking peoples credit ratings.

PCM: Where were the places you taught?

Linda: The first place I taught at was the successor to the place I learned how to play. The owner sold the business and moved it from Hunting Park to Center City. It was at 19th & Samson next to the R&W Delicatessen. They hired me to teach there. After that folded and the owner moved away I taught at Esther Halpern’s School of Guitar on Walnut Street. I remember being very desperate for a job when I finally went into Esthers. It was right across the street from where I lived. After I went in I realized I was dressed wrong. I had a very mini skit and leather jacket on. I tried to cover my skirt but Esther just looked at me and said, "Don’t worry, I saw your skirt it’s nice". I told her I needed a job and she told me she just hired someone. I told her, "I really need a job and I am better than anybody else you can hire". She thought I had hutzspa so she hired me.

PCM: Wasn’t Esther the woman who ran the Gilded Cage with her husband? Did you ever play there? (The Gilded Cage was the first coffee house in Philadelphia Opening in 1956 and closing in 1969)

Linda: She was. I didn’t play there as a regular gig but I played at the round robins.(jam sessions)

PCM: Who were some of the other teachers at Esther’s ?

Linda: Let’s see, Jerry Ricks whom I’ll still friends with and John Oates.

PCM: Wow, John Oates! Can you verify any rumors that have circulated in rock & roll history that could possibly bring many hits to my little ol’ web site?

Linda: (Laughing) I know which one you are talking about. I saw no evidence of that. But in terms of the rock & roll history, I do remember a time when he was so broke Esther had the staff chip in enough money so at Christmas we bought him a giant salami. I mean it was really huge so he would have something to eat for awhile.