Jeff & Vida obliged to cancel tour

Jeff Burke and Vida Wakeman of New Orleans have earned a special place among bands visiting Ireland. Their vitality and professionalism have brought them back here yearly during the past decade, to perform at many major events. This year's tour (Aug.-Sept.) was scheduled to include the Guinness International Bluegrass Festival at Dunmore East, the Galway Americana Festival, and the Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival at Omagh, as well as other established venues.

We learn with great regret from Nigel Martyn that Jeff & Vida have been forced to cancel the tour, owing to very serious health problems affecting both their fathers. Jeff writes:

As you know we have been very much looking forward to this trip for some time, and it literally breaks our hearts to have to cancel, especially at such short notice, but at this point it appears that there is no alternative... Vida and I have always prided ourselves on keeping our professional commitments, but our circumstances at the moment just will not allow for us to be so far from our families for any length of time... Please pass on our sincerest apologies.

Our sympathies are with Jeff & Vida, their families, and everyone else involved.