This project was begun shortly after Sam died in 1974 – then the idea was to find someone to publish conventionally (hard copy) the story of his life, his collecting, and include a small audio tape of some of his favorite songs. However his closest friends were busy picking up their own lives, trying to fill in the wide gap left with his passing. Others, in the folk music scene didn’t see a favorable return in time and money invested in such a project. So, it was not until I’d read Denis Brian’s The True Gen, an intimate portrait of Hemingway by those who knew him, (Grove Press, NY, 1988) that I realized such a treatment might work, and decided eventually to put it on the Internet; thus the Eskin Project began.

      Letters went out to over a hundred thirty people, and some of those generated more names to contact which generated more names. Telephone calls were made and e-mails were exchanged. Ads and editorial space were generously provided in Sing Out!, Dirty Linen, Zassafras Music News, Folk Alliance’s Eighth Annual Conference catalogue (1995), the Touring Directories of the Kerrville Music Foundation, at an occasional folk music meet, around campfires at festivals, and a radio spot here and there.

     Stanley G. Eskin, Sam’s son, sent a partial manuscript written by him and his brother, Otho E. Eskin, which gives a closer personal look at their lives with their father. Corresponding with them through the years has provided encouragement and guidance.

      Research time in trying to track Sam’s background to Russia has been undertaken and is still on-going. Genealogist friend, Rose Nelson Weaver, unearthed helpful information at Houston’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research on the Eskin family in Baltimore. (With his sons’ permission we may expand the genealogy and place it on another Internet site.) Although doing out of town research in person at the New York State Historical Association in Cooperstown, NY to find Sam’s huge collection was not feasible by the undersigned, genealogist-researcher friend Sandy Natusch did spend hours in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies. She brought back a two-inch stack of material, copies of Sam’s correspondence, notes, verses, newspaper and magazine articles, record covers (and backs), and Folkways listings (see hyper link to Smithsonian in the main feature). Sandy said that she thoroughly enjoyed this project, especially since they played records of Sam singing all during her visit there! This material will be excerpted later for inclusion at this website. I 've learned that both of the above collections have been under-utilized -- perhaps these recollections will generate more interest.

     The long list of those who have helped and encouraged this project will be found, eventually, at this site.