This is the best truly folk recording I've heard in many years. I have listened to it a half dozen times since it arrived here yesterday. There isn't a song on it that doesn't hit me right where I live.

Say, Kendall, realizing that our music is surely the purest form of what we folksingers do and are, putting this CD together from the best of other years' concerts, ones that were, thankfully, tape recorded at diverse venues over your life, well, I'm certain that you had a ball putting it all together along with the amazing Dennis Cook. (Dennis did the same with my last CD too--and working with him and Judy was a hoot.!) "Field Of The Willows" is an astounding statement from the pen of Dave Goulder. The random pageantry of life's ups and downs inherent in those verses is remarkable. That I should hear that song in the same week I also read Bob Coltman's masterful re-telling of Paul Clayton's life in his new biography (Paul Clayton and the Folksong Revival) is just too wonderfully strange.

In the song list of your CD, Kendall, as you know, are two of the finest songs written by Bob Coltman --- "Lonesome Robin" based on the last of all the Robin Hood ballads-- "Robin Hood's Death" and also his song called "Before They Close The Menstel Show" another "Closing time---gentlemen--please" type of song. Actually, now that I think about it, MOST of these songs on this CD are topically on the subject of loss of various kinds. That said, none of the songs are proverbial 'downers.' They all ARE philosophically insightful though! One of the songs is featured in Bob Coltman's book too! That song is Clayton's own composed song "Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone." That is the song Paul Clayton's so-called FRIEND, Bob Dylan, re-wrote to create "Don't Think Twice It's O.K." -- a million seller for Peter, Paul and Mary while Paul Clayton got no credit of any kind.

People, I never heard the Captain sounding better. I've already gone on too long, but I had to say how much we are enjoying this CD.

Love to Kendall and Jacqui --- and to all of you as well!

Art Thieme