I started getting back into folk music a couple of years ago, after a long time listening to other stuff. One of the first albums I bought, this time round, was Anne Briggs: a collection; I vividly remember the sinking feeling I got when it struck me that all the recordings were around 30 years old and all the sleeve notes were in the past tense. I was relieved to realise that Anne Briggs isn't dead, but she hasn't done much gigging for a while; I've probably missed my chance to hear her.

The next singer I got into was Shirley Collins. Then Nic Jones. Great music, sad stories - and for me personally a great sense of chances missed (why did I have to get into punk?)

Then, thanks to an unknown benefactor of the local Oxfam shop, I discovered the great Tony Capstick. Unlike the first three, Capstick is dead; so is Tony Rose, who I only discovered very recently. And now we've lost Johnny Collins too.

What this makes me think is that the next time I get a chance to hear... well, whoever*... I'm definitely going to take it. With any luck it won't be the last chance, but every chance is precious.

*After a lead-in like that I don't think anyone would thank me for naming them!