By Geoff Bowers

Having already seen this band with my wife Pat on the previous night at the Tithe Barn at Melling, we woke the next day to the most miserable downpour imaginable, which boded ill for the canal boat trip that afternoon. Courtesy of Dave Bresnen, we were staying at a farm where Ernie Sykes, the bass player and the Belgian mandolin player landed at 2:00 am following the show and a bash afterwards.

Now I don’t know about you, but after a 2:00am crash - I’m not the most human of beings at 8:30 the next morning? Well, I’m here to testify that Ernie Sykes is not of this planet! He emerged, the most charming and polite guy you could wish to meet! How does he do that?

Well to cut to the chase, we drove straight to the canal boat I have to say that someone upstairs was clearly smiling down on us because, by the time we arrived, the weather had definitely made an effort and began to look downright optimistic.

When the band arrived, it transpired that they were a couple of hours late! It had been such a pleasant session though that, as far as I was concerned, that was an extra bonus of a longer day for us. Outside Dave Bresnen, Chris Wilson and others could be seen enjoying a session in the open.

Bryn Williams, the guy who had put in so much work to make the day happen, was visibly down about the fact that the band’s van had broken down and that Dave Bresnen and they had spent an exasperating two hours frantically ringing around on a Bank Holiday Sunday for a replacement. Imagine that for a situation!

Bryn needn’t have worried - the two trips went down extremely well. We were on the second trip which was another plus for us to keep on with the session and have a meal. We were really pleased that we had decided to stay around for this trip and when we were underway, the difference between the stage show and the acoustic “real thing,” was very evident. Bill Keith was as good as I’ve seen him and his usual reticence to dominate a band at the hands of a PA system held no sway here. All the subtleties of his backup were there to be seen at a lucky-for-us distance of six feet. The whole band excelled - not bad for their 2:00a.m. crash and their ordeal with the van!

Bill Keith, Jefferson Louvat, Jeff Wisor, Sharon Cort & Ernie Sykes on the barge

I have to say that the person who made the band and the weekend for me was the bass player Ernie Sykes. Clearly, the main man in charge of the entire unit, he organized, compered, filled in the gaps and played as good a bass as I’ve heard. Not just a good guy to have in a band and an out-and-out professional, he is a thoroughly nice guy. There was one extremely poignant moment when he sang Bill Monroe’s Kentucky Waltz. He pointed out that both he and Bill Keith were former members of the band run by the late icon of bluegrass, and that he (Ernie) was “the last of the Bluegrass Boys.“ As he told this, I could see Bill Keith looking across a little anxiously at him, though the reason was not immediately apparent. Ernie launched into Kentucky Waltz with his fine voice and an impeccable rendition. The strength of his voice never wavered and, as he progressed through the song; it became more and more apparent that there was a great wetness melting down his cheek by the window. If ever a man who felt the spirit of the Master as he sang, he did then. It was moving in the extreme to see. He didn’t break down. He just wiped his cheek afterwards and carried right on. What a man. When the boat turned around at the half way point the band had a small break. They chatted with all comers and then launched into the return show. This was a truly memorable day for us and one we wont forget and when we left around 6:30 and could see that the session was far from over.

Geoff Bowers, Nottingham

Updated 23rd Jan 1999