Tommy Edwards's life celebrated

Following on from the BIB's report of 24 May on the death of Thomas Shelton 'Tommy' Edwards, who performed with his band Bluegrass Experience at a past Omagh festival, Sandy Hatley reports on Bluegrass Today a gathering to celebrate Tommy's life that took place in central North Carolina last Sunday (27 June). It's a comprehensive report, showing how he touched the lives of many people in many spheres of life.

Tommy's friends had managed to ensure that he received before his death the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, 'the most prestigious award that the governor of North Carolina can bestow upon a citizen'. The text of the award includes a verse of the 'North Carolina toast', which is movingly sung by the Red Clay Ramblers (who follow it with a fine fiddle-and-banjo rendition of 'North Carolina breakdown') on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins