This not only is wonderful and exciting news, but it is terribly important. Frank, thank you for posting it.

People, as a folksinger, Sam Hinton is just the finest you will ever encounter. His instincts for the music and the tales therein are always unerring. (spelling?)He has collected and recorded so many great versions of superb songs for so very long. I'm just saying, or trying to get across here that this man is the pinnacle of the pyramid that might/could stand for what our folk scene in America has always been about. From afar, way out there in San Diego, California, Sam Hinton has been my mentor by his sterling example for over 50 years now. Darn, folks, do you get what I'm stiving to say?? I do hope so!

Words are really not enough to communicate this. You've got to hear Sam doing it. So many of his recorded albums are my favorites of all the good stuff in my whole collection. The Decca LP "A Family Tree Of Folk Songs". The recently released CD from the long way back tapes Sam made for the Archive Of American Folk Song at the Library Of Congress in Washington D.C. The great Folkways Records albums made by Sam. Many personal recordings Sam issued like "Songs From An East Texas Childhood". And now this ultimate 2-CD compilation of exceptional harmonica (French harp) renderings from Sam Hinton. Don't listen to my rantings if you'd rather not. --- But you MUST, please, take the legendary (at least, in Chicago) Frank Hamilton's word!! You might know his wark wi' the Weavers or his being a founder of the venerable Old Town School Of Folk Music in that "windy second city".

I am looking forward to hearing this more than just about anything I've anticipated hearing for several decades.------- But, this verbage from me is silly. No more mere words from me.

Just get this one! And listen close. Sam Hinton ought not be background music because, know this, you'll be hearing a genius at work. Hearing him is just a folkloristically enlightening experience.

Love

Art Thieme