Thanks to all those who keep passing on news. Many, MANY thanks to Bill Spence for his intervention.

I have the John Roberts and Tony Barrand album "Spencer the Rover is Alive and Living in Ithaca," and as far as I can remember, it was the first trad folk album I bought. I'd heard cuts in Vaughn Ward's "Folk Culture and Oral Tradition" class at Niskayuna High School, and thought "That's the weirdest harmony I've ever heard!" Vaughn explained, I bought the album from Andy's Front Hall, and I was hooked.

John, please get through this easily, heal fast and completely, feel much better, and come back to Old Songs next year. For now, you're in my thoughts.