Twenty years ago, Max spoofed us into thinking that mudcat was shutting down. Some of us panicked, some laughed, but I think all realized, in those early days of mudcat, what we were coming to mean to each other. We knew we didn't want to lose that developing community! That very day, my son David constructed a website to keep us in touch, if mudcat did go down--an email list, birthday list, pictures, & portraits, which I administered for its first few years. This predated Facebook & helped to form us into a community.

As I am preparing to drive to Pennsylvania to attend Dick Greenhaus' memorial gathering, I reflect that it was because of Dick & the Digital Tradition lyrics database that I first discovered mudcat. Like many, I was searching for lyrics on the Internet & came across the Digital Tradition in my search. After a while, I wandered into the mudcat discussion forum & found a group of like-minded folks from all over the world. mudcat was my virtual home for many years!

mudcat also brought me into personal relationship with Sandy & Caroline Paton of Folk Legacy Records! One day, someone (perhaps Joe Offer?) starting a thread to let folks know that a new BMT recording had come out. I was teaching in Amenia, New York, at the time, just 30 minutes from Sharon, Connecticut & Folk Legacy & I got the bright idea that I could save time & shipping cost, if I could pick up the CD in person. I called the number & a delightful woman answered. She agreed that I could drop by after school, to buy the CD. Little did I realize, at the time, that Folk Legacy was a home business & I was inviting myself into someone's living room! True to form, Caroline invited me in, plied me with tea & conversation &, eventually, sold me some music! Thus began, a wonderful friendship that spanned the years till the passing of, first, Sandy, &, then, Caroline. They were my folkie parents & a blessing to my life. So, thanks, Max, for providing a home for folkies, through the ups & downs of life! Perhaps, others would like to share how you came to mudcat.

best,

bbc