It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

Well the holiday season is upon us again! Wow, how time get's away from us. As is usually the case, we have slowed down for the winter. We have a few shows left this year, including tonight in Madison, TN at Pope's Place. Showtime is 8pm.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. It's always nice to get together with friends and family and remind ourselves that we have so much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving should not be a 1 day affair. We should be thankful everyday for what we have been given. Sure there are some who are more fortunate than others, but someone is always worse off than you are. We should strive always remember and be thankful for the gifts that we have been given.

Well the end of the year for a band always means refelection on each person's role in the group. This year is no different. After much thought, consideration, and prayer, Lorne has decided to leave the band at year's end. Lorne brings a lot to this group. His most recognizable contribution from your perspective is that he holds down the bottom end with good solid bass playing. When I first made the transition to upright bass from the electric bass, I watched Lorne and learned from him and looked up to him. He has a unique style that is easily recognizable and is a huge part of our sound. His shoes will be tough to fill. But, Lorne's contribution to this band is much more than his musical talents. Lorne has provided much wisdom and guidance on the business side of the band and to some of us on a more personal level. Being an engineer by trade, Lorne is a very organized person. He always kept our business meetings organized and kept us all up to date on the financial status of the band. Buddy and Lorne share a particularly close friendship. When asked about Lorne's departure, Buddy said "I have played in a band with Lorne for 9 years and I have never been in a fulltime bluegrass band without him on the bass. I will miss Lorne because  he is more than a band member, he is like a member of my family." We look forward to an ongoing friendship with Lorne, but his humor, guidance, and musicianship will be missed by each of us.

I mentioned earlier that Lorne's shoes would be hard to fill. I have been given the daunting task of attempting to fill them. I will take over the bass playing duties when Lorne leaves the band.

Well, that should just about catch you up on where we are. There are some big things in the works for next year. We will be doing the "Song of the Mountain" tv show in August. We're pretty excited about that. There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes and we are looking forward to a great year next year.

Until Next Time,
Wayne and all of TBSP