Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up

Subject: BS: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 11:43 PM

Carl booked acts for years in New Jersey. He remembers a 9-year-old Ricky Skaggs when Skaggs toured with Bill Monroe.

The Hoffmans- Buddy and Alice and their four sons- moved to Fairbanks Alaska years ago where he is still very involved in bluegrass. His band is Northern River and they're good and they're fun.

Tonight Buddy lies unconscious in a hospital after a fall on the ice a week ago. He has a fractured skull and is non-responsive.

Send him your best thoughts please. He is a great guy.

Subject: RE: BS: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 12:54 AM

A mutual friend sent me this tonight:

"Carl Hoffman fundraiser this weekend
 posted by John Lawless on 12.09.10 @ 2:51 pm
 Tags: Bluegrass At Large
We got a note this week from Ken Brown, sharing some unfortunate news from Alaska. Ken tells us that Carl Hoffman, affectionately known as the "Father of Alaskan Bluegrass," suffered a fall on the ice November 29, resulting in a skull fracture with swelling and bleeding of the brain.
A New Jersey native, Hoffman was active in the northeastern bluegrass scene until he made the pilgrimage to the last frontier. Brown fills in a few details from that point forward…
"Carl's claim to fame as the 'Father of Alaskan Bluegrass' came when he moved to Alaska and his Alaskan band was hired to play for workers on the Alaskan Pipeline. During that time period in the early 1970s, Carl's band may have been the highest paid bluegrass band in the world, as they performed early morning, lunch, and evening sets as the oil pipeline workers were ending or starting their shifts.
Carl has lead bluegrass bands in Fairbanks ever since, most notably his Northern River Band, and he continues to be a beloved mentor to dozens of bluegrass musicians in Alaska."
A benefit luncheon is schedule for December 13 at the First United Methodist Church in Fairbanks to help raise funds for Carl and his family and their mounting medical expenses. Anyone in the lower 48 who is able to send a donation can direct them to:
First United Methodist Church
915 Second Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Here's hoping that Carl is back up and picking real soon."


This Should be Uptop, I suppose

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:36 PM

Yep, I think it should be uptop, too.

Sorry I missed this earlier. Good thoughts and thanks givings for healing up well and completely.

kat

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 11:34 PM

posted this to facebook...hoping bluegrass lovers will see and respond with help,...

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 12:40 AM

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 07:09 AM

Carl's brain is healing, the swelling has gone down and he is in and out of consciousness. His wife Alice said that he has been moved to St. Elias Hospital, a long term care facility in Anchorage, and will be there throughout Christmas and New Years. I've known Carl for many years, he is a wonderful musician and an outstanding human being. I hope he recovers fully and comes back to his family and friends.

Mike

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 02:05 AM

Mike, thank you! As Joe Page once told me, Carl is the kindest person he has ever known. Coming from Joe...!

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: skarpi
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 02:41 AM

sending thoughts and pray over the ocean ..
kv Skarpi Iceland .

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: KT
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 02:58 AM

Thanks for the update, Mike. Like Joe, kind is the word I have often used to describe this gem of a man. Great news to hear he is mending!

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: open mike
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 03:18 AM

what a relief to know that he is healing...and that consciousness is returning...may he continue to improve!! Hope the fund raiser was successfull.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 12:41 PM

When anyone runs across a mention of Carl, please post it. I sent Alaska/Flo Mike's comment to a mutual friend in Haines and they were so glad to get further news.

I'm such a FaceBook newbie- how does one access a subject?

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: open mike
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 08:23 PM

do you think that he has a face book page?
i searched but found 10 buddy hoffman pages..
and i don't know what he looks like.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 10:26 PM

OM, in that first link there is a picture of Carl- 30 years younger. I'll see if I can find a more recent picture.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 11:56 PM

Well, it took me awhile but here is Carl, the man.

Great Interview

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: GUEST,B Babus NEW JERSEY
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 06:58 PM

Best wishes and prayers for Buddy from our family,life long friends
of Buddy.Buddy and I spent many years playing together before he
moved to Alaska, infact I helped Buddy with his playing when he
first started playing.Buddy just visited with me in N.J. a couple
of months ago and we played for about 2+hrs along with our very
special friend Mike Esposito Dobro player.Buddy, get well Whe"re all
praying for you and your family.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: GUEST,Mike Esposito
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 07:38 PM

Living in New Jersey I've known of Buddy Hoffman for many years from bluegrass people I've been involved with. I knew he moved to Alaska and played bluegrass all these years. I recently met Buddy when he picked up his banjo in Maine and came to New Jersey to visit friends. One of his friends, Steve Babus, who lives right up the road from me, called and asked me to come over and bring my dobro to jam with Buddy. I went and spent a great day meeting and playing with Buddy all afternoon. We have a mutual connection in that my aunt Jeannette and Buddy grew up together in Richard Mines, New Jersey. My aunt always asks about Buddy and she was thrilled when I told her I met him. I have a photo of him and I together and decided to enclose it in my aunt's Christmas card. As I was doing this I googled Buddy and found out what happened to him. I wish Buddy a very speedy recovery and I will pray for his healthy return to picking..I hope to be picking with him again some day soon. Sincerely, Mike Esposito, Chester, N.J.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 11:17 PM

Thanks for chiming in, guys. We in Alaska are sending Buddy/Carl our best strength.

Do you know Alice too? I don't really know their four sons, although I know they are a talented bunch, but Alice is a special lady.

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: GUEST,B BABUS NEW JERSEY
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 09:00 AM

Yes I know Alice,she also came with him to visit my wife and I
on another occasion,brought his prize hd28 martim and banjo on
the airplane and again we played all afternoon,She like Buddy
are the most likable and sincere people anyone would want to have fof
friends.Buddy invited my wife and I to Alaska to stay with them
and play a couple of shows with him and visit with him and Alice.
I was extremely honered for the invite.Buddy is like a brother
to us, and was like another son to our mother.We know and were
friends with his total family.Again Buddy,our love and prayers
for a speedy and complete recovery from the Babus family.

Best Wishes Bob Babus

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: GUEST,Stephen Babus
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 02:07 PM

Has anyone heard anything more on Buddy?

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 11:50 AM

Sorry to not have kept this thread active longer, Steve.

The news I got yesterday is encouraging. Carl is improving steadily. A mutual friend said that even in the five days he spent with him he was able to see progress daily.

If you like, email me at [e-mail] for more particulars.

Eb

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 12:18 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Buddy (Carl) Hoffman (injured) benefit set up
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 03:07 PM

Carl keeps improving. He is currently in a rehab center in Colorado, and is slated to go in a couple of months to another center in Nebraska before returning home to Fairbanks, Alaska. It's a long, slow road but he'll get there.

The Alaska Folk Festival is sponsoring a fundraiser party for Carl and Alice on March 12th, this Saturday night, all proceeds to help defray their enormous expenses. There will be approximately 15 sets in 5 hours, with three of the sets being 30 minutes long. Dancing, a no-host bar, munchies - can't get mluch better than that.

Previously this winter, there have been fundraisers in both Fairbanks and Anchorage, as well as another on the East Coast. This is a talented and beloved musician- he long ago earned today's accolades.