Dear Derek,
It’s good to hear that your eyesight is improving - I hope it continues to do so or you won’t be able to see who you’re being rude to at festivals this year!

Name & address supplied but with-held for fear that he might get support! Ed.

Hi Derek,
Good to hear from you again. I've enjoyed reading the magazine over the last while, keep up the good work. Thank you for noticing my little ditty and I look forward to seeing it published.
TTFN, Al Brenner, Tottenham, Ontario, Canada.

PS We Canucks haven't been annexed yet. You might have noticed the gentle nudge that I give the Yanks in my item, although if you weren't a Canuck it's probably too subtle to get the drift!

Thanks for “Russians At The Pole”, Al! Ed.

WhoooooaaaAAH Dirk!
Great stuff in the November N/L. Do you realise that your/our baby here is quite literally the best Bluegrass News Magazine Internet site IN THE WORLD? Alright, alright - it's the only one in the world - but lack of competition is not only a numerical factor. The letter from America (Nov ’97) expressing the good wishes showed his justifiable admiration. Keep on keepin' on....
Geoff & Pat Bowers, Nottingham (Sponsors).

Seems there’s no need to join ’em! Ed.

Bluegrass on radio under threat

Derek,
It’s great to hear you are on the road to recovery. I hope by the time we meet again (Edale ’98?) you’re 100% fit.
I would like to congratulate you on the continued success of the newsletter. I subscribe to Bluegrass Unlimited and to Bluegrass Now and receive newsletters from the IBMA, BBMA and County Records, yet it is from North West Bluegrass News that I learn first the results of the 1997 IBMA awards. (Who didn’t vote for Stuart Duncan as “fiddler of the year” yet again?)

I was fortunate enough to attend the World of Bluegrass and Awards ceremony in 1995 and can’t recommend it enough to anyone interested in our music. A full week of round-the-clock bluegrass, and a suitcase full of Compact Discs to bring home as memories.

As you know I have had a guest slot on Manx Radio’s ‘Country Show’ in recent years to present a short Bluegrass segment. Regrettably the Country Show’s allocation has been cut to one hour on Tuesday evenings for the Winter scheduling and the presenter, David Callister, is under pressure to feature more ‘New Country’. As a consequence I have not been invited to play any bluegrass for several weeks and am not sure if, or when, more will be featured. I’ll keep in touch with any developments.

There is still a bluegrass segment on Radio Merseyside at about 10.45 a.m. on Saturday’s for bluegrass lovers in the North West, thanks to Kenny Johnson.

Keep up the good work, Yours sincerely, Brian Barker, Santon, Isle of Man.
PS Cheque £5 enclosed for renewal of “sponsorship”.

Thanks Brian - see “Editorial” for comment. Ed.

Some nice ones ...

Derek: I checked out Ted Silverman’s review of the Doc & Dawg CD and am rushing right out to buy one!
Tom Drohan, San Francisco, USA.

Dear Editor,
Many thanks for the 25 Years of Bluegrass CDs prize I won - it’s the first time I’ve won anything like it and I’m enjoying the music immensely. I’m sorry I didn’t find BG music earlier in life!
Joyce Hornby, Stockport.

Derek,
I got your link on my page this morning. I checked out your page again, and I saw you had the link to our page. I appreciate the exchange. I found your site from a post on either Bgrass-L or the Acutab Banjo list. Someone was talking about the Jingle Bells banjo tab, so I downloaded it. Even though it is pretty easy to play, it sounds real neat. My three-year-old heard me and he said, "Hey! Your banjo can play Christmas music."
Take care, Gregg Turbeville, Rivertown Bluegrass Society (turbonet@juno.com)

Hi, Derek!
Just spent some time on your web page. Well done! Good articles - I plan to read many more of them. Keep up the good work. I am the outgoing President of the South East Bluegrass Assn (Georgia, USA) but I am forwarding the info to Tom Barnwell who maintains our SEBA web site - I’ll ask him to link to yours.
Mike Fleming (mikef@bellsouth.net)

... and some flak!

Derek -
You said the answer to “Who are the two people..” in the Nov. draw would be found in the Nov. Issue - but they weren’t. I think you should publish the answers in future.
Gordon Shuttleworth, Leeds.
PS Thanks for the boomerang ad!

You’re right - though I thought everyone would know they were John & Gill. In future I’ll do as you suggest. Ed

Hi, Derek!
I notice that you cut some names (mine included) from the “Contacts” column in the November mag. I hope it’s not a permanent thing - I’ve made several contacts from it.
Chris King, Carlisle.

Sorry, Chris - purely shortage of space! It will be included whenever possible. Ed.

Derek -
Where was the Bluegrass support for the Awards Ceremony in Birmingham, you pathetic lot? How can we promote BG if no-one bothers to attend such events?
Carmen Jones, Hope Valley, Sheffield.

Good question - probably where BG supporters seem always to be - anywhere but at a BG event... Ed.

Updated 23rd Jan 1999