G'day Art (up there without a cookie),

I'm eagerly awaiting a copy of this CD, as it meanders it way towards the Antipodes. My own mouthorgan style was inspired by (if not sufficiently informed by) an older Australian mouthorgan player P(ercy) C Spouse, who won Australian Mouthorgan Championships back in the 1920s & '30s ... and the description of Sam Hinton's playing indicates that he is master of all the same techniques.

Percy performed and competed in a quite different style, in his era, mostly playing to charity and benefit concerts with piano accompaniment. Deckman's memory of Sam Hinton, above: "... I saw him place a tiny little harmonica, perhaps two inches long, completly in his mouth, and with both hands on his guitar, played the most awsome harmonica/guitar duet ..." reminds me of an account of the aftermath of the last time Percy competed in mouthorgan championships.

After Percy had been awarded the title, there was some dissention in the Green Room. Some competitors claimed that, since Percy now represented one of the sponsors (Sydney-based J. Albert & Co.'s Boomerang brand mouthorgans), he would have been given preferential treatment. Percy just took out a small mouthorgan and placed it between his lips ... then proceeded to play his entire competion bracket - "No Hands!". After this (circa 1934), Percy decided to let others win the gongs.

Regards,

Bob