From your song, Jean, of course! "Golden Ring Around My Susan Girl." Talking about people who have been an inspiration to us all, no one can match Jean Ritchie! Half of the songs we learned early on came from Jean's albums. The other half we dug out of Cecil Sharp's Appalachian collection, in which many of the songs were gathered from the Ritchie family. Then we got Jean's Singing Family of the Cumberlands (and if you haven't read it yet, do it now!). Recently, we got the "Field Trip" CD in which Jean matches songs with her informants in the British Isles. A great CD! Greenhaus at Camsco.com has it, of course.

While I'm giving thanks and praise, let me tell you how much we have enjoyed "Burl's" (that's Roy Harris, folks) songs and friendship over the years. Missed him last time he popped over from Wales, but we won't let that happen again. Such visits, brief as they may be, are too precious to miss an opportunity.

Folk-Legacy is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, which will let some of you youngsters realize how ancient we who founded it are now. If you've never heard of us, well, that just tells you how lousy we've always been at the promotion end of the business. Making the recordings is the fun part; selling them turns it into work!

I thank you all!

Sandy Paton (with one less "t")