I first met Juel at one of the early Folk Alliance meetings (in the early 90s) and we also saw each other at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest meetings (the first two were in Aurora and Juel had a lot to do with organising them, not surprisingly).

I hadn't seen him in many, many years, but as a result of the pandemic, I've had the pleasure of joining the Fox Valley folklore Society zoom sings and renewing his acquaintance. He did so much for the world of folk music and had such an impact – and of course was a lovely guy. Hard to believe he's gone.

Sincere sympathies to his family. He leaves a hell of a legacy – may that be of some comfort.

I adapted an old trad song (because Juel loved old trad songs) in his honour. The festival referred to in the song is the Fox Valley Folk Festival, which takes place in a lovely park on an island in the Fox River, and was one of Juel's countless folk undertakings.

His Name Was Juel
to the tune of The Galway Shawl

At Lake Geneva in old Kane County
On a pleasant island one autumn day
I spied a fellow behind the sound desk
His lovely festival took my breath away

His name was Juel, he was a diamond
He shared his music with one and all
Now all Fox Valley mourn his finale
Though no one knows how he did it all

He brought us singing, barn dances, stories
He taught so many to love them too
Though we will miss him, his lines will linger
The gifts he gave us will see us through

His name was Juel, he was our diamond
His gift of music did us enthrall
Now all Fox Valley mourn his finale
But we'll remember what he gave us all