My parents were friends of a number of the group members. As a young musician (11 years old) I was fascinated with the music and particularly the piano playing of Dave Bogart. I began to teach myself to play in his great style, an accomplishment that would later torture my classically trained music education professors. I also did some of the cover photography providing the shots on the back cover at the recording session.

This album was recorded on June 22, 1967 and was played widely on the Jean Shepherd Show.

As a very young reader I was given a copy of "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" by Jean Shepherd. I read and re-read this book dozen's of times and still, today, pull it out for a relaxing read.

In 1970 my dad took me to see Jean live in Princeton, NJ. Afterwards and nervously waited for Jean to leave and asked him to sign my copy of IGWT. A scan of the signed title page with the ticket stub is included here as well.

I'm pleased to be able to contribute to the 'Jean Shepherd' archives. I have many fond memories of secretly staying up to hear Jean on WOR NY. It seems as though his friends were mine, as much of my childhood as those who lived in my town. I remember the first time, as a youngster, I actually laid eyes on the "Limelight." It was, to me, as if I had seen a palace.

Enjoy. Excelsior.

Marco Ciavolino