on sale by Halloween?

It's possible that the mix will be complete by Halloween, depending on how long the artwork for the cover takes. Robert Russell is scheduled to record at the end of the week, the final track of the CD. The price will be 12.99 and about $2.50 from each cd sold will go the the Hurd Brother's Scholarship Fund. Today I offered preview copies to Chris Wissmann and Cap Miller, so hopefully they'll like it enough to plug it in-print (Nightlife) and on-air (WJPF), respectively.

Two-volume set?

Three more guitarists have been added to the Guitars Between the Rivers cd: Candy Davis, Randy Auxier ( see his web site for Redbud Hill, and Joseph Breznikar, locally famous for his guitar interpretations of George Harrison's music. That makes 13 guitarists, Bloggy, with two or three still outstanding, but enough for a two-volume set, possibly.

Still pondering the cover design. It should have two rivers and a guitar, and the words. I'd like to have the shape of the lower section of southern Illinois as the body of a guitar.

11 down, 1 to go

Picked up a disk from Din Dayemi today, along with bios for him, Bill Carter, and Wayne Weiseman, for the song "Jonah" to be included in the CD.

Robert Russell's finger is almost mended. By the end of this week, the song list should be complete.

Yesterday, I added a statement from Marcia Hurd, Forrest and Doug's sister, who's providing a track from The Hurd Brothers for the compilation.

Local funk lengend, Grant Morgan, was lavishly praising Forrest Hurd the other day, saying how extraordinary he was, good enough for Austen or Nashville or any other larger market. After listening to "Deep South Blues" for the first time over the weekend, I agree. It's a crying shame he and Doug got killed the way they did. But at least their music lives on in "When I Look into Your Eyes." on Guitars Between the Rivers,along with the other original tunes on their own album.

With all this talent currently assembled on GBR, there are still some guitarists who are not yet included: Ratliff Dean Thibeaud, Dave Parrish, Shawn Harmon, Candy Baker, Laura of Big Muff, Jim Pigg of Marion . . . There's enough talent for two volumes!