Jean Ritchie is a thread throughout my life-- my mother's days at Hindman before I was born set in motion all that music wrapped in Appalachia and the Ritchie family, when my brother worked at Pine Mountain teaching unemployed fathers to make traditional mountain dulcimers, Jean says, he brought the cows in with her many times, Jean's recording -- I do not remeber its name, I was 10 I am 72, but it was one of 3 records my family own (the the other two: John Jacob Niles and Alice in Wonderland!) Jean tried to teach me to play the Mountain Dulcimer at Pienewoods, camped to our family several times at Fox Hollow, was in revels my daughters and I were in the chorus for at Memorial Hall. Anytime she has given a concert in the Boston area, I have been there. Every Chrstmas we reread Singing Family of the Cumberland to remind us of what really matters most. Dan and I sung The One I Love at his brother's wedding. Black Waters, the most eloquent plea in poetry I know. My other 3 favorites: The Peace Song, Marne, The Bluebird Song. Our prayers are with the Pickow family and our thanksgiving is for Jean's marvelous joyous and sharing soul, my golden thread of song. Thank you, Jean.