Tom (Curmudgeon) had known him a long time when I came on the scene in 1980. I knew Bill mostly from the Stone Church Sunday hoots in the early '80s when Tom was often hootmeister.

Bill's patter in between songs was even better than the songs themselves, those early songs about kids named "Jennifer, Jessica and Jason / Just like every kid across the nation." I often opined to one of the owners of the Stone Church, Ellie O'Conner, that his whole set should be taped and preserved -- especially the local humor in between songs.

Bill moved away from Newmarket, the "small town on the river" and the Seacoast New Hampshire music scene.

The last time we saw him to talk to was a few years ago when Cuzin Richard put together a New Hampshire Folk Festival on the stage at the Portsmouth Music Hall and our "Press Room Gang" had a spot. Had a bit of a chance to talk to Bill both at the party at Celtic Crossing before the show and in the green room at the Music Hall.

This is just such a surprise...

Linn