North West Bluegrass News Mag online: Letters to The Editor

Your Letters to The Editor

Dear Derek, Enclosed £10 subs. If there is any change have a drink. Recommendation - ‘Navy Rum’. Guaranteed to cure Bilgewater Blindness, Cannonball Fever, Right hand Hook Rust and General Melancholia.

Cheers, Eamon Walsh.

PS. Take care, Nelson drank rum until his eye fell out and his arm dropped off.

Thanks, Eamon - but it all goes in the NWBN kitty! Ed.

Dear Derek, Just a line to say thanks for the back-copy of the March issue and how impressed I am with the quality of the publication.

I was particularly interested to read that Jack and Mavis Lee described as their “best ever night” a gig with Peter Rowan, Bill Keith a Jim Rooney. By coincidence, those three also provided my best ever night, though in my case it was at the Swansea Country Music Club back in May 1980. I had co-founded the club in 1974 and at that time we regularly included bluegrass and acoustic performers in the programme. Brian Golbey was our most popular solo performer (I booked him on 13 separate occasions during the six years I was at the helm), and other guests included Dave Plane and the late Andrew Townend, Bill Clifton, Orrin Starr & Oary Mehalick, AG & Kate, Pete Stanley, Roger Knowles and the Duffy Brothers.

None of this would have been financially viable at an outpost like Swansea without the help of the local radio station, Swansea Sound. These same artists recorded sessions at their studios in the afternoon for their country music programme, before appearing at our club in the evening; the combined fees made the journey to South Wales worthwhile.

But back to Peter Powan & Co. This was my final night at the Swansea Club before a job move brought my wife and I to Warrington, and they gave us a tremendous send-off. I have a recording of the evening which is even better than the official live recording taken later on the tour. Jim Rooney’s rendition of “Tennessee Blues” is a particular favourite. All the best with the newsletter.

Chris Haggett, Warrington.

Dear Ed., Are you aware of anyone over there that has tablature for the instrumentals used on the old “Benny Hill” television show? There was usually bluegrass music when he was chasing some gal in fast-motion! There was a great tune that sounded as if the chord progression was G C Em D or something similar. Great picking on those old shows! Any info at all would be helpful - even a recording of the songs so I can work out the breaks myself. Thanks,

Chris Athey, Ashburn, VA, USA. BGBANJO@erols.com

John Lawless

I just took a quick look at the July issue. It's such fun to be a foreign correspondent!

John Lawless, Roanoke, VA

I thought your coverage of the Barbican was good - much better than the BBN
Keep up the good work.

Tony Lawrence, Bromborough, Wirral.

Derek: I just got back from the bluegrass classic in Columbus Ohio and just wanted to mention that there were some fine pickers there from England. One in particular was simply wonderful and I didn't get the chance to meet him. He was a tall gray-haired gentleman that was jamming The Flinthill Special with Murphy Henry. Tell that man that he has my total respect and that I would pay to hear him play again.

Bill Mills, St.Cloud Fla.USA. Firehose51@aol.com

I have pleasure (and I mean that!) in enclosing my £5.00 “subs” renewal. I always look forward to receiving the NWBN and reading it cover to cover. It’s been a pleasure to make one or two small contributions in the way of articles - one of my abiding memories of 1998 will be chasing all over the Barbican Centre to sort out the interview with Charlie Waller!

Thanks for your encouragement of my journalistic endeavours, Sincerely,

Eric Kwiatkowski, Nottingham.

First of all, have nice holidays in France. My problem is that I can't read your banjo tab with my Macintosh. Your web site is just as what web must be, un grand bravo. Keep on picking!!! and vive le rosé

Jacques Champigny. (jacques.champigny@ac-amiens.fr)

Hiya Ed! We went to the Annesley Bluegrass Day, which went really down tremendously well. Bakers Fabulous Boys were there and acquitted themselves in a way which outstripped all expectations. The event started with workshops in which they combined instruments; separated them and then finally brought them all back together for an amazingly good and satisfying finale.

Without exception everyone agreed how well executed it had been. Stuart Williams has a real enthusiasm and flair for teaching that transmits immediately. Lorraine Baker also exudes enthusiasm as much in her workshop as her playing. For my money she is the most energetic and totally involved bass player around - and that's saying a lot nowadays when there is no shortage of good bassists on the scene. Russel Williams is certainly no slouch on mandolin and acquitted himself very well leading his workshop and in the concert. Steve Read said that the whole thing was the best workshop arrangement that he had seen and I entirely agree.

I know that the BBMA is considering taking Bluegrass into schools and providing instruments. Well, this band could not be bettered as ambassadors or instructors I'm sure. The experience they have at their weekly sessions of beginners workshops has honed their delivery to an excellent level, which should be exploited at every opportunity. Viva Baker's Fabulous Boys. More power to their right elbows!

After a meal and session in the local pub, the evening concert was just excellent. We played with a stand-in guitarist who did a great job.

Geoff Bowers, Nottingdale

Updated 23rd Jan 1999