• An American, Living in Sussex, took part in the quiz on the BBC Radio 2 Ed Stewart Show on Wednesday, 4th June. He told Ed that his hobby is Bluegrass and cited Tom Travis as being, in his opinion, “the music’s best exponent in the UK”!
• Mandolin tablature contributor John Baldry will be attending the North Wales Bluegrass Festival so all the mando-freaks out there can get a chance to meet, talk and pick with ‘the man’.
• Jack Hatfield, of Hatfield Music writes “Sabine, the tuner people have brought out Nitrostasis strings. These are vacuum-sealed in nitrogen, so they could set on a shelf for years, and theoretically be as fresh as the day they were pulled at the factory. I have never heard a string make this much difference. I installed them two weeks ago, and they still sound better than new Vegas or GHS, the brands I have used before. Also, Sabine gives a set away with every Stealth tuner sold.”
• Tom-Tom Productions, the company set up by Tom Travis and Tom Flanagan, has won its almost 2-year legal battle against The Dome, Doncaster. The Dome has made an out-of-court settlement and will also pay costs. The dispute arose when, due to management problems, the Dome could not fulfil its obligations to the event and cancelled it at short notice. The event, which featured The Seldom Scene, took place in Blackburn, Lancashire.
• Terry Holland and partner Janet have now bought a pub (yes, a pub!) in South Wales, but the move is not imminent. And don’t hold your breath - it’s the proverbial ‘Pub With No Beer’, but it does have land and rooms and will make a great mini-festival venue, apparently.
• In May the Rainy City Bluegrass Band played at a fund-raising charity event at St. Celeste’s Church, Rawtenstall. The hall was packed with an audience of 150 - all enjoyed it. The RCBB was helped along by three numbers by Christine Mannion (banjo/vocals) and Irene Atkin (mandolin/vocals).
• Tom Travis is in negotiation with financial backers for the Edale Bluegrass Festival which is to return next year on a site outside the Edale Valley.
• The Acme Bluegrass Band have now changed their name to simply The Acme Band.
• A book of tabs from Bill Evan’s Native & Fine project will be available soon, published by Mel Bay books

Updated 23rd Jan 1999