You are another gift that we owe Rick for, Joanne. For those that don't know of Joanne, I urge you to take a listen to the CD's by Crabtree and Mills. One earful and you will be hooked. That was one of Rick's greatest gifts. He loved music and people so very much, that he hated to see either of them squandered. That is why he dragged Glenn back into performing, that is why he encouraged Chris Coole, that is why he encouraged Jed Marum, and that is why he stayed after you to start again. And guess what? We are all blessed with it because of this. We get to hear you all express your musical souls full of passion and beauty and wisdom.

Speaking of Chris Coole and Rick, I often am speaking to young musicians who think that speed is the essence of good playing. I always point out to them that the really great players develope speed, and then slow it down for beauty, and that the greatest beauty in music comes with going at the exactly right pace for what is being done. Often the best examples of a master are when they are playing a simple tune with amazing elegance. Rick's version of Ola Belle Reed's High On A Mountain is an example, in fact a prime example. When I sat across the stage from Chris, and the wonderful Eve Goldberg started that song, and Chris led off with that perfect banjo ....... my skin just tingled.

Was it Bill Maclean that did that amazing fingerstyle instrumental on the bass guitar? I thought Chet Atkins might have slipped in and was playing on a 6 string. It was magic.

Mick