Your article is brilliant. It's precisely what I wanted.

--- from Art Dudley, editor of Listener,
who was quite pleased with my epic feature about Tony Rice

I just bore and trying search something funy, i trying to find name as mine, finally I find your name by hounting machine in internet, your have not bad business, so imagine if you have something to do in my country "Indonesia".

--- from a fellow named Iskandar Alex; I'm not sure what caught his eye

Art,

I just finished the Tony Rice article by Caroline Wright. I had to read it before anything else in the issue. Oh my, what a joy! The last paragraph took my breath away. Congratulations to Ms. Wright for a beautifully written piece. Thanks to Listener for helping get the message out. And thanks to Tony Rice, whose artistry, in Ms. Wright's words, makes "the whole world seem perfect for a few sweet moments."

--- from a reader named Mark Cashman,
who also seemed to like the Tony Rice story

I have a feeling this whole Hazel thing is going to be one of BN's finest moments.

--- from Barbara Baird, editor of bluegrass now,
who was very happy with my cover story about Hazel Dickens

Dear Sir:

I would like to express my support for and interest in your new column, “OffStage.” For years I have accepted with regret that “puff pieces” had become the backbone of the bluegrass publishing industry. You have seemed to seek alternatives, and with “OffStage” I believe you have found a viable one.

It could not have come at a better time. I suppose it's inevitable that the bluegrass music continues to grow in popularity, it's only natural that those who play professionally are more likely to be folks whose lives and interests are centered around the music itself. Consequently it seems that we see fewer and fewer of the highly colorful types of characters which populated the ranks of the first generation of bluegrass performers. (Here I should follow with an exhaustive list of colorful personalities, but that would just make us all feel bad that “OffStage” came along to late to visit them at home. Not to mention how much courage such a visit might require of a writer back in those old days.)

So, congratulations to Caroline Wright; keep up the good work. There are still some unique personalities out there whose personal lives are quite filled with interests which bring guts to their music. Any possibility we could look for “OffStage” to visit John Moore, Hazel Dickens, Laurie Lewis, Ralph Stanley, Byron Berline, or Wayne Taylor?

Very truly Yours...

--- from Ron Thomason of Dry Branch Fire Squad,
who apparently likes my OffStage column very much. Thanks, Ron!

Hello. My name is Erin VanHoven. I recently read your article about Kimo Kahoano from May of this year. I run a web site devoted to his sons and their band (ANO's First Fan Site http://www.geocities.com/twinschick1). I was wondering if it would be okay for me to put a link to your article about Kimo Kahoano on my web site? I believe that the ANO fans would love to read what their father thinks of them. If you could let me know one way or the other, I would appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

--- from a young fan of the progeny of Hawai`i's Kimo Kahoano

I just read your article on Charlie Waller and it was great. I saw him last year down at Myrtle Beach S.C. and got to talk with him and he showed me some things on the guitar. If you ever run into anybody who teaches his style of guitar playing, please let me know, he is so great.

God bless, keep up the good work...
--- from reader Bobby Curtis,
writing about my feature about the legendary Charlie Waller

I'm a Southern Belle from South Carolina, married to a Yankee from Detroit. I read Yankee Blues to my husband and we both laughed till we cried. I have to admit most everything in it is so very true. I'm a southerner by birth, and I laugh at the southerners I encounter on a daily basis. Someday I hope to write a book on life in the south, I'm sure it'll tick off a few of the local rednecks but who really cares. Southerners are entertaining =)

--- from a reader named Tammy,
who really liked my unpublished essay called Yankee Blues

I found you via the RiceRiceHillmanPedersen community site on MSN. Someone mentioned your article about Pam and Tony Rice, so here I came! First, thank you for a wonderful Column and a great story in the Pam/Tony article. I would like to see something on one of my FAVORITE artists of all time, Alison Krauss. I've read all the biographies and seen all the various shows and what not on CMT with some behind the scenes stuff, but I'd like to see your touch on the special and most gifted musician/singer. I'm absolutely awed by her perseverance to play her music her way and to intelligently choose outside projects that are tasteful and hugely successful. In a behind the scenes look though, I'd like to find out about this hubby of hers and her daughter [actually, Jeff, it's a son!--CW]. I've never seen or heard anything about either one of them. Maybe Alison keeps it that way intentionally for privacy, but as a super-fan, I'd sure like to hear about them or see them or whatever. Thanks.

--- from reader Jeff Dodson,
who enjoyed my OffStage column about Tony and Pamela Rice.

it was nice to read your poem on the site. im 26years old sailor from india. looking for good friends all over the world. so can i expect your mail sometime. can mail me. bye then, and hope to see more of your poems on the site.

--- from a lonely sailor named sirish