THE LEAD ARTICLE this time features Chris Moreton. It follows hot on the
heels of his recently winning the Guitar Magazine's "Guitarist Of The Year"
award. So we've interviewed Chris and his life's story unfolds in these pages.
Chris is well-respected and very experienced, so his advice is most
welcome.PHIL HEALD'S LETTER in Last month's Letters Page produced a bumper response which it seemed should be published now, while the iron's hot. Both John Baldry and John Wirtz, both 'expert' players, have sent in their suggestions; both are good and both valid. The hard bit is doing what they say! John's will be in next time. WE NOW HAVE A REGULAR contributor of banjo tabs. I've unearthed David Cotton who was found hiding in Hale, Cheshire. David had a long spell in Camden Town, London, where he taught and played banjo professionally. As well as being a well-respected banjoist, David is a tablature master and has published in many magazines, including British Bluegrass News, Grass Seen, Old-Time Music, Fretwire, Jules Vincent's Banjoist's Broadsheet and John Baldry's British Bluegrass and Old Time Mandolin. So we're delighted to have him on board. Of course, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't send your own tabs in - on the contrary, please do, because variety is the spice of life - and of Bluegrass, too! JOHN BALDRY'S VERSION of The Gold Rush for mandolin is presented. In the next issue we'll have versions for guitar and banjo from Chris and David; giving a common tune for all to learn and play together. STILL ON TABLATURES - if you have a Windows PC with a sound card I can now send you 'midi files' of the tablatures being played. You can very easily play them on your PC to hear how the tabs sound and help you learn. See the "Ads" on page 16. I can send them to you by Internet Write to. SPEAKING OF THE INTERNET - I've started getting articles and letters coming in that way and boy, does it make life easy! And they can come from anywhere - in this issue all the overseas stuff came by electronic mail. I'd like to compile an electronic mailing list of all our readers who have regular access to Write to; if you are one please Write to me. PETE AINSWORTH WON the free CD competition. Only 6 entered, so either (a) everyone's got it, or (b) no-one has a CD player, or (c) no-one likes Lou Ried, Terry Baucomb and Carolina, or (d) the questions were too hard(!) or (e) General Apathy has won yet another battle. The next CD comp will be May. Meanwhile, Vinny's Quiz is back. He's trying to instil some Bluegrass Background, but aren't people interested in Bluegrass? Why not "Go for it"?!! (14,009 words) NOTE: The Consulting Editor, Pete Mackie, will be dealing with the May issue so please send your contributions directly to him (address and Write to on page 1 opposite) with copies to me, if possible. Please give Peter an easy time - thanks very much!
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