https://youtu.be/d1sCjPLjSxU

Raun passed last month. She wrote Circle of Fifths and Lucky Stars. I'll miss her, her messages and Christmas cards. See her bio below.


Raun MacKinnon had the distinction of being one of a tiny handful of folk artists ever recorded by Parkway Records. The youngest of four children born into a musical family, she was raised in Berwyn near Philadelphia, and began singing at an early age, even when she worked as a babysitter (which helped lead one of her charges, Cliff Eberhardt, into a career as a folk singer as well). She learned her first folk songs from her mother, material like "I Know Where I'm Going," and later added Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly to her repertory She played the local folk clubs in Philadelphia and was signed to the Cameo-Parkway label, where she recorded one album, American Folk Songs, with Dick Weissman backing her on guitar and Bill Lee (Spike's father) playing bass. The bulk of the album was made up of new arrangements of traditional songs, augmented by one MacKinnon original, "What Says The Heart." She was best known in the northeast from various performing venues in New York City, and remained popular throughout the '70s and early '80s, appearing at various clubs and showcases. Her song "Circle of Fifths" was covered by Michael Johnson, and in 1985, she appeared on Fast Folk 202 doing an original song called "Amazing Love." She has been a mentor, friend, and confidante of Christine Lavin since the '70s. --ALLMUSIC

Thanks to Mark Spiegel for this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njnqecfqDXk

Billy Edd Wheeler also died this year, in September.

He wrote: Winter Sky, Coal Tattoo and Coming of the Roads

Winter Sky

Cindy, I just learned that Milwaukee musician Gil Plotkin passed away in June, at the age of 78.  He was a huge Michael fan, and posted frequently on this page.`

https://youtu.be/ZV2rXQ1x0nI

Thanks to Pete Ward for this.

A YouTube video about Minnesota Music in the 1960's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxs462gXwdY

High Prestwood passed away Sunday, September 24th

https://www.countrystandardtime.com/news...?xid=14206

https://youtu.be/OL1g9eC8RWM

You have been quiet, how are you?
I listen to MJ's music all the time now.
His voice is so therapeutic. 
I think of you, hoping you are well.
Please drop us a line.