It’s been a long cold winter here on the east coast but we’ve been keeping busy. While Carl stayed home in North Carolina searching for firewood, Beverly headed for a warmer climate and spent February in India.

Thanks to our friend Francois, by early March we’d met up in Philadelphia and were flying to Paris. Francois, an old time banjo player from Vierzon, France, and member of “The Old Time Four”, is also an old friend of Jerry Brown and we were lucky enough to have met him while mixing our CD at Jerry’s studio in Chapel Hill. Over the years, he’s brought old time and bluegrass bands over to tour in France and he asked us if we’d be interested. The next thing we knew we were sitting in the sun in an outdoor café, being wined and dined on local French wines and cheeses that the folks we met over there were both happy and proud to share with us. The attack on Baghdad began while we were touring and the news was reporting the French opposition to American policies but we were treated kindly and found the people to be friendly and compassionate. And they like old time music!

Our touring schedule was busy, but not too grueling, and we had plenty of time for other things. We got to visit with Polo, Nadine and their friend Katia, saw some of the wine country (and do some tasting!) and wound the tour up with one incredible day in Paris. All in all, we had just a terrific time and it whet our appetites for more. Fortunately we’ll be heading for the UK in August and may even make it over the channel for a visit in France.

We flew back from Paris, spent one night in Philly, and headed back to the airport and to Houston where we met Josh Goforth and we all drove to Palestine, Texas for the Palestine Old Time and Dulcimer Festival. We’d been expecting a bit of culture shock, but we were in the good hands of Margaret and Jerry Wright and their friends and family and were treated to a major dose of southern hospitality Texas-style. It’s the festival’s second year and we had a great time hanging out and playing with a lot of folks we don’t get to see that often -- Tom, Brad, and Alice; Lorraine Lee Hammond, Don Pedi; Wayne Henderson and Helen White; and a bunch more. A special treat for Beverly was reconnecting with David Allen, a banjo player and old friend from her days in Austin. When you think of Texas you think BIG and we found a lot of that--incredibly warm people with big hearts and arms wide open. We left Texas with a much bigger circle of friends and look forward to returning to next years festival.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, good things were happening with our CD, now in its second pressing. The reviews are starting to come in and we got great reviews from Sing Out!, The Old Time Herald, and Bluegrass Now. We were also delighted to see how much airplay we are getting. Besides radio in the US, the CD is being played in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, and Germany. It’s been among the top played albums compiled from the FOLKDJ-L radio playlist and went up to number 8 in January. WHEE DOGGIES!!! We have our sights set on another recording and hope to be back at it in June.

Besides a new recording, we are looking forward to a busy spring and summer. Beverly will be going to both California and Alaska with the Rockinghams, and is thrilled to be returning to the Merle Fest for a reunion with Tara Nevins and her old time band. Carl hates to miss the Merle, especially since our friend Francois will be there, but is tickled to be getting back together with James Bryan for a festival in Dahlonega, GA. We’ve been invited to play at the Charlie Poole Festival in Eden, NC; SAMW, Geneva Point, NH; the Swannanoa Gathering, Swannanoa NC; and will be in the UK the month of August. Check our schedule page for details.

Thanks so much to all of you for supporting our music. We’ve had an incredible year, are looking forward to some great times ahead, and hope to see you somewhere along the way. Keep on moving lightly through this world!!

Peace,
Beverly and Carl