I've just had the list too. It continues:

2007 involved taking on a new band member, family bereavement, making an intense album in difficult circumstances, unexpected amounts of acclaim and success, undermined by losing a band member. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and we're just glad it's 2008! Wooo!!

New member Stephanie Conner
We have been very lucky to find 24 year old pianist Stephanie Conner, who we are currently locked away with in intensive rehearsals! Stef is an amazing player, with experience in classical, jazz, folk and contemporary accompaniment. She has a degree and masters in music from York University, and is currently doing a PHD in composition. We have taken on Stef so that we can continue to tour in support of The Bairns.

We are taking the album overseas in the next few months, and then we return for some bigger UK shows in May and June, and some festivals too. Stef is most definitely an honorary member of the Winterset, and pivotal to our plans right now. The future is open for her to become a full time member when it comes to whatever we do next. There is no doubt we will continue to use piano, hopefully with Stef.

However, it has never been our plan for the next album to be quite so centrally dominated by piano accompaniment. In this sense, losing Belinda is not quite the problem it might have been. Belinda is such a big character, that a less dominant role might not have been fulfilling enough anyway. We realise there will be some fans who will worry that the loss of our main accompanist will leave us without our trademark unconventional soundscape.

While we don't want to take anything away from Belinda's input, the artistic vision (if we have any!) has always been and remains within the band as a whole. Whatever you play or sing in our band, sometimes you'll be author of your own performance, sometimes you'll be a technician of an idea from someone else in the band, or of an idea that was mapped out for a whole song or even album. Only time will tell what the future holds, but we hope we can continue to please ourselves and yourselves.

For your interest, and for balance, here is Belinda's announcement, which can be seen on her myspace.
" It is with a mixture of regret and relief that I have left Rachel Unthank & the Winterset. I have enjoyed much of being a part of this band, especially the warmth and humour underlying our music – I will always have fond memories of the past few years and of the music we created and performed together both with the hugely talented Jackie Oates and more recently with equally fab Niopha Keegan.

I wish Rachel, Becky & Niopha well. The decision to leave was a very difficult one, but one I am happy with. I will now be managing my own career and I am very much looking forward to a bright future in folk music – who knows what opportunities may cross my path…Maybe Bonnie Tyler will finally ask me to duet with her! Well, dreams aside, I've already started writing songs…see you soon xx"