| The Story of Mo' Kauffey and Les T. |
| The story begins back in the early 1930's, just after 'The Great Dust Bowl', when young Folger and Hazel Kauffey migrated westward. Yes, westward; from the dry plains of eastern Kansas to the great wet mountains of central Colorado, ('cause everyone said they'd never go thirsty there)! Well, they built themselves a cabin and commenced to makin' a family. They tried for near on twenty years to have children. Finally, in the spring of '52, after one of the coldest winters in history, Hazel had a fine new son. They named him Mortimer, Mo for short; Mo Kauffey. Young Mo grew up workin' the land and learnin' about the Indians and how they lived. One day Mo said, "Pa! I want to play music and sing about peace and love and growin' up in the mountains!" But Folger said, "No way! You need a real job. Now go paint the barn!" But Hazel, loving Mo so much, took the money from the cookie jar she'd been saving and bought him an old guitar from a neighbor by the name of Lester Thorns. Now Lester was a young prospector who had settled about 50 miles north near a place called 'The Garden of Jesus and Cave of the Breezes'. But when the mines all closed he was out of work. So, he moved south to the wet mountains of central Colorado, so he wouldn't go thirsty. Besides pannin' for gold, Les played a mean guitar (because of growin' up near Chicago). He owned several guitars and was always looking for a new partner to play music with. So, when he heard the sweet sounds Mo was makin' on that old guitar of his he said, "Mo, you're my boy!" So from that day forward, wherever they went, they were known as.........."The Mo' Kauffey and Les T Experience"! C.W. Handy 1/4/00 |