It was just after my first Merlfest and I had put up some pictures. September 11th was still painfully fresh in our minds and the press release about the next Merlefest was a very pleasant reminder that there was a future to look forward to and good times ahead.
This is the very few words I wrote that year but I want to leave them up as I feel, even without great tragedy to remind us of our humanity, I still believe in what I said about the American people here.

The word has finally come down. The lineup for the next Merlefest in April 2002 has been announced. It has been some 6 months since the last one and so much has happened. With September 11th still hanging heavy in our hearts we must look forward to next year with enthusiasm and optimism. What better way to celebrate being free from the horror of terrorism than to go out and play the music that tells the real story of the USA, of it's people and of the basic human right to freedom. The stories in the songs of the mountains and the plains tell of the building of a nation and of the Irish and Scottish, the Poles and Italians and the multitude of nationalities who came across the sea to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Those people I spent time with at Merlefest last year were hard working, peace loving ordinary people who want nothing more than a world free of fear for their children. Let's hope and pray 2002 will return that to us all. Now go visit the Merlefest web site and book your tickets for Merlefest 2002