• The Laurel Canyon Ramblers, who were booked to play at Ironbridge, are not now playing. They have been replaced by Lou Reid and Carolina. The line up comprises Lou Reid (guitar, vocals), Gena Britt (banjo, vocals), Randy Barnes (bass, vocals), and Alan Bibey (mandolin, vocals). This has got to be a must-see band.
• Pete Wraith sends the following items:
  • The Leeds BG Club is now run by three bands who take turns in hosting the club. The bands are Generation Gap, Hired Hands and The Ken Tardley Playboys. The club is held last Thursday of each month at The Grove Inn, Back Row, Leeds (200 yards from The Leeds Hilton). Tel: Chris Metcalfe on 0113-255-4676.
  • As a result of reading NWBN, Leeds Bluegrass club (last Thurs of the Month) booked Baker`s Fabulous Boys for the April club. The evening was be hosted by The KT Playboys.
  • As a result of reading NWBN the Yorkshire Dales Bluegrass Festival July 18-20 is talking to Jim D'Ville about Richard Greene & The Grass Is Greener making an appearance at this years festival.
• We hear that increasingly the ladies are grabbing this N/L and reading it before their men. So this item is specially for them: Tony Trishka's wife Assunta had a baby girl in March. All are doing well. (Not meant to be taken as a sexist comment – no moans, please!)
• Julie and Steve Cross have left the Bluebillies, which is 'on hold' for a while. The band is being re-formed under the guidance of fiddler Chris.
• Sam Nesbitt, 'Student of the Week' at Sore Fingers Week, received as a prize a Jiri Lebeda (Czech) hand-made Dobro-style guitar worth £900. Jiri put on an exhibition of his work, which aroused great interest and several items were snapped up.
• Tom Travis is looking for venues to take Laurie Lewis, Tom Rosum and a bass player, in concert, on any of the following nights: July 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th, 1997. Tom would be grateful if any interested parties would contact him on 01457-861789.
• A Japanese bluegrass musician, a member of the Nakashima Family Band, has created a Web site devoted to bluegrass song lyrics. The collection currently runs to the lyrics of some 1101 songs. The address is: http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~motoya
• There is to be an "Edale Corner" at the 1997 Cambridge Folk Festival where Bluegrass afficionados can camp together and play the night through. Tom Travis is appearing at there for the first time in 31 years. He be playing on the main stage on Saturday afternoon with a collection of international pickers.
• Tom Travis' obituary article on John Duffey in the January edition of NWBN was republished in the April edition of BBN.
• As a member of the Great British Awards Committee, Tom Travis has managed to get the new category of 'Best International Bluegrass Group' instigated. This is in addition to the existing one of 'Best British Bluegrass Group'.
• Following the resignation of John Sheldon as Chairman of the BBMA, Tom Travis has been elected to the post. Congratulations to Tom from all of us at NWBN! Further good news is that Tom is a North-West picker....
• It appears that there's another Rank Strangers in the UK apart from our own Mossley resident band. These are a trio from the Frome area of Somerset. No wars are imminent!
• Accutab have now released a book of tablature for Alan Munde: Alan Munde - AcuTab transcriptions, Vol. I combines the tab transcriptions from Joe Carr & Alan Munde's, Windy Days and Dusty Skies, with Alan's picks from the *classic* recording he made with Sam Bush in the late 70's, Sam & Alan; Together Again For The First Time. Accutab are taking orders now. It will be available from Alan himself, from Frets (0151-525-2781) or direct from: AcuTab Publications, P.O. Box 21061, Roanoke, VA 24018-0108, USA (or acutab@roanoke.infi.net or http://www.acutab.com) .
  One is also ready for Pat Cloud.
• Terry Gildert of the Nottingham club would appreciate hearing from any bands who would like to play at their sessions. Tel: 0115-920-0027.
• "Almost Bluegrass" played with "Belle Monroe And Her Brewgrass Boys"at (The) Sweetwater, Mill Valley, California in April.
• Alison Kraus and Union Station have released a new CD 'So Long So Wrong', Rounder CD 0365. See "What's On" for tour details.
• A special feature on The Dillards is to presented by Tom Travis in Country Club on BBC Radio 2. The program goes out from 7-30 to 8-30 p.m. on 15th May.

Updated 23rd Jan 1999