More old-time news

The latest issue (vol. 14, no. 11) of the Old Time Herald includes - among many other good things - its '2019 festival and camp guide', in which the only entry for Ireland is the traditional Willie Clancy Summer School in Co. Clare (6-14 July). No dates earlier than March are in the guide; so FOAOTMAD's Gainsborough festival in England, and the Annual Irish Old Time Appalachian Music Gathering, both in February, do not appear. In 2020 the 26th Gainsborough festival will begin on St Valentine's day (14 Feb.) and the 3rd Gathering a week later (21-23 Feb.).

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Murphy Henry's 'General store' column in the latest issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine reports the publication of Tommy Thompson: new-timey string band musician by Lew Stern, the author of the exemplary biography of Dwight Diller.

Lew Stern, together with David Brooks, has already published 'He could surely make a banjo talk' - 109 clawhammer banjo tabs by Tommy Thompson (£13.95 in paperback and £3.83 in Kindle from Amazon.co.uk). He is currently preparing a book on a Tommy Thompson bandmate, the late Bill Hicks (see the BIB for 26 Nov. 2018)