I must tell you that it is such an honor to be included in this project. Just take a stroll down through that track listing and you get what I am talking about. I am thrilled beyond description to be on this collection. And one day, soon I hope, I intend to get my big Irish arse out to see Mr. Ross and over to sing a tune by the ballfield where our friend, Mr. Phillips, is buried.

That price is an absolute bargain for the amount of music contained on this collection. It is a testament to the man and his life, that those performers honored him this way. And Ani gets a huge "Thank You" from this union organizer for offering her label for distribution.

Utah and I only became friends at the end, although I was a rabid fan for years. What I came to know of this smart assed hobo Wobblie organier is that he was one of the gentlest, and humblest, people I have ever known. The personna onstage was pretty close, but when you were talking with him one to one, he was genuine, gentle, humble, and amazed that folks cared so much. I will treasure all of our conversations, but one I will treasure most of all. It came just a few days before he died. I was talking to him about our mutual friend (and Mudcat Guru and punster) Art Thieme. I passed on a comment Art asked me to, thanking Bruce for teaching our Art how important humour was in getting a message across. Art asked me to let Utah know that it was Utah that taught him that. Utah was so happy and honored to hear that, because he loved Art's work. But then he launched into an impassioned lesson to me about how very important it was in my own work, to use humour to get these messages out. He went on for a very long time, making sure I understood that my work was important, my music was important to that work, and that humour is one of the tools that keeps folks from going bleary eyed and missing these important messages and ideas. I felt pretty honored that he shared this with me, and the next thing I knew, he was gone.

So ...... to be included on this tribute ..... to have had the honor of putting together a couple of fundraisers and singing with the likes of Garnet Rogers, Matt Watroba, Len Wallace, Claudia Schmidt, Eric Glatz, Madcat Ruth, Chris Buhalis, Steppin In It,Rachel Davis.... well, it is all pretty incredible.

So, see if you cannot rathole a little money, folks. Our good friend Utah left some medical bills and other final expenses. You will be helping Joanna retire these, and keep going. And you will get music from some of the finest musicians of our times (myself excluded from that lofty bunch).

All the best,

Mick