Rick---

I truly appreciate ALL that you and other dedicated folk-DJs have been doing to get my music heard. Getting the songs out there---ones that people haven't heard---has been my reason for being all along. It was grand to find songs like "The Pokegama Bear" and let folks hear what I thought was a fine musical tale. The same with "Robin Hood's Death"(Child 120), "The Big Combine", "The Hobo's Last Ride", "Billy Vanero", Wade Hemsworth's "Shining Birch Tree", "Dobe Bill", "Red River Shore"(a cowboy version of the Child ballad "Earl Brand") etc. Over the last decade, doing those stemboat gigs on the Mississippi, I found so many older passengers who knew nothing at all about our folkie music. It got to be fun to say, simply, "Folks, this thing in my hand is called a banjo!" It really did have to be that rudimentary. So not only the 19 year olds need to be basically educated. We really have, out of choice,not been a part of the mainstream. But ingroups exist, in part, for eventual recognition from the outgroup. If we keep on showing them what we've managed to save musically, they will learn what we have learned. We've built it, and yes, they're coming--just like we were drawn in by the bright flame created by our mentors! Sure is a gas, isn't it?

Thanks for the Dobro idea. That's as good as a noter on a dulcimer.

And if you want a personal copy of the CD, just let me know where to send it. How 'bout a swap!

All the best, Art