I first heard Joan when she played the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in 1980, then saw her again in Calgary, when she played there as part of the 75th Alberta birthday celebrations. I had driven to Calgary from Edmonton with my friend who said that she would take care of hotels if I did the driving. About 2:30 am on Friday night I discovered she meant that she would arrange to house herself and I had the choice of a park bench or my small car. Joan overheard the conversation and immediately said "But there are two beds in my room, stay with me." What a delightful weekend, camping at the Palliser Hotel with Joan.
Her death touched me very deeply and I wrote a song as tribute to her, which Connie McCall sang on the Edmonton folk Festivals mainstage, in the break between the first two artists opening night. "Old Souls" was written for Joan and I hope that she heard it in her wanderings between worlds and that she realized how she had influenced me in my own writing. I still miss her charm and love of life, as black as it can sometimes seem.