I've just been arranging a couple of Hoyt Axton songs, and the thought occurred to me – why call someone 'Hoyt'? Was he named that at birth, or was it a nickname?

Oh, I do know about his mother, so in return for answers to the above, please enjoy this: the Scots radio DJ Bill Barclay once told me that he was in Nashville, where he saw a lady being treated like royalty. He found himself sitting next to her at lunch, and, making conversation, he said: '…and what do you do?'. There was an amazed silence round the table, but she answered politely, 'sir, I write songs.'

Digging himself a hole, Bill followed up with 'have you had any success?', to which the rest of the table collapsed in hysterics. All except the lady, who courteously answered: 'well, sir, there was one called Heartbreak Hotel…'

All the best - Ian B