On the contrary, Bob. I have moved out to Blackheath so I am far from the grooves of academia at present. In fact I retired which amounts to the fact that I don't teach anymore but I still keep (cybernetic) contact with my old research interests and colleagues. I come into Sydney once a week for a guitar lesson either in Padington for an acoustic lesson or Randwick for a classical lesson, so I haven't been along Broadway in a long time.

Since this thread was last active, I got hold of the Lewton book and that is a gold mine. It has info on the string gauges and tunings that Leadbelly used as well as tablature and lyrics for a good number of songs. I found the other Leadbelly songbook in a library here and the Lewman book is much better for the guitarist. You can get it from the site I mention in the original posting. The other one, of course, has a lot of historic interest.

By the way, Bob, I feel guilty. I got you to send me all that info about the harmonica and then I got so involved in moving that I never followed it up. I have it somewhere; but as I recall, the guy who wrote "Band in a Waiscoat Pocket" lives in the Blue Mountains doesn't he?

Murray