I felt a great sense of sadness when Mike told me he'd be leaving the show. The first thing folks have to understand about Mike is that he's knowledgeable about folk music and sincere in his love for it. He's a great interviewer because to him it's about the person on the other side of the microphone and he checks the background of the people he has on, so he already knows the answers to many of the questions he asks. He has an exquisite sense of when to redirect, clarify or let his guest go on. That is rare in my experience with radio shows--and I've done many of them over the years. However, the quality of the man and his love for the music and people who make it shows in the transition. Gerry Goodfriend is up to speed on the way things are done, and while I know that Gerry will add his personal stamp, I also know the show will maintain its high quality standard, because Gerry is one good guy with a love for music that rivals Mike's. CKUT FM will continue to be in good hands.

As to a festival for next year: I truly hope there will be one, Adrien. Perhaps you don't know, and if you don't you should, that it is a wonderful event. It's well organized (and I won't embarrass you by singling you out for praise in that regard, but praise you deserve). It was a pleasure to meet many of the festival committee members and people who did so much of the dog work to ensure that the folks on stage were treated like some kind of visiting VIPs and the folks in the audience were treated to a well-run festival. You have done with a cast of tens what many other festivals with a cast of hundreds have failed to do: namely, you make the performers feel appreciated and valued. That ain't as common as it should be.

Thanks to your fire department, I was given a tour of two pieces of apparatus--their rescue vehicle and a rapid attack vehicle. They are a neat bunch of guys, and I was able to take away a good idea regarding motor vehicle stabilization for our department to consider.

The people who displayed and sold their crafts were so polite and friendly. In fact, there were no miserable people there at all. When Bob, Chris and I took 20 minutes to prepare for the set, we went to the barn to park it and practise. I never leave my guitar unattended anywhere, ever, at all, under any circumstance, period. I did there and wasn't the least worried. Parking was great, seating good, bathrooms available and camping area for people with trailers or tents were to hand.

Many people who'd stayed here and there at the festival made mention of the friendliness of the town's people and merchants.

The stage crew was something else. It was so good to hear and see them keeping track of the clock and ensuring that performers stuck to their times. It was so enjoyable, and I want to thank you for making it so. My one regret was not having enough time to sit and relax with my friends. Another 7,642 hours would have been nice. If you invite me again, I will be sure to get there and stay from Thursday night until Monday morning. However, I did get to meet some folks from the Mudcat and also re-meet some friends from 35 years ago. There were personal highlights for me, but right up there with that has to be seeing and hearing Noah Zacharin again, meeting his lovely partner who is also a fantastic singer/musician, and having the opportunity to sit with the two of them and write a song together from 1:00 - 4:30 AM, Sunday. Noah's guitar work was right on, and he wasn't at all bothered by syncopations. Laura Fernandez's voice is beautiful, and her harmonies were crucial to the song's development. Noah is a fine lyric writer and he knows when the rules should be ignored. It was an experience I will treasure, because egos got left at the door and we were able to put together a song that absolutely rocks. It is at once new and exciting, old and familiar. We still have to look again at the third stanza, but the rest is as good as anything I've heard in years, and like the man said, it does the job. Thanks to you both. More tomorrow about specific people.