I was fortunate enough to know Mitch well. I was tour manager for the Dillards on their first UK tour in the late 1980s. They were a joy to work with, immensely talented and hugely professional. I hit it off with Mitch instantly and subsequently visited with him from England on several occasions - twice in Columbia and once in Eminence. We corresponded regularly and I like to think we became close friends.

One of my favourite memories is of the Dillards performing at the Cambridge Folk Festival, where they were the penultimate act of the closing night. None of the audience had ever seen the Dillards perform in the UK, so they were very much an unknown quantity. Their first song, "Dooley" stunned the audience with the band's musical and vocal dexterity - something they had obviously done a thousand times before in the U.S. At the end of the song, Mitch took out his pipe, leaned on his upright bass and told a story in his laconic, endearing "backwoodsy" accent. I can hear it now. The punchline "I'm not saying she was a hairy girl, but when she lifted her arm two bats and a whipperwill flew out" had the audience of five thousand roaring with laughter. Ater that Mitch had the audience eating out of his hand and the Dillards stole the last night of the UK's most prestigious folk festival.

My life was made much richer by knowing Mitch. He was a one-off and I always wished he lived nearer than 5,000 miles away. Think of the laughs we could have had together. He will be much missed. My condolences to Diana, Carole and his family.

Steve Swithin

Lancashire
England