How wonderful to speak to you Jean! I'd heard of you, but have never seen you sing. Isn't the Internet wonderful?

I heard "Loving Hannah" when I was living up in Aberdeen - so obviously it's come from Jeannie Robertson. It used to be sung at the Aberdeen Folk Club. I admired Jeannie's singing so much, but never got to hear her sing as she had had a stroke not long before I came up. My sister had a record with a track of Jeannie singing "My son David" on it, that I had heard. Jeannie was in the audience at a concert that I went to.

However, her daughter Lizzie sang at the club quite often. And her nephew Stanley sang regularly at the club. Stanley was always very supportive of my singing. I had a wee get-together with some friends not long before I left Aberdeen and Stanley told us all one of his spooky stories. It was getting dark and he wouldn't let me switch on the light - so we were sat in the dark listening to him. All of a sudden he went BOO! I must have jumped a foot in the air!!!! I've never forgotten it.

I lost contact with my Aberdeen friends eventually. However in 2004 I was at the Whitby Folk Week and I bumped into Stanley again and I made up my mind that I was going to tell Stanley a story - to repay the compliment that he had paid me. And last year I did precisely that, at a storyround that he was leading. It was my first story (though not the first telling). And now I tell stories regularly.

I will be seeing Stanley again later this month as I am going to visit a cousin in the north of Scotland and will be stopping off in Aberdeen on my way there. Stanley has suggested a good storytelling event in Aberdeen that I can go to - he will be performing there. He has offered to introduce me to some of the travelling folk. I feel very honoured indeed - I have a great respect for the way in which the travellers have carried our tradition.

It's a pleasure talking to you. Thank you.

Diane Taylor