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Ferguson's Farewell

by Gary Ferguson

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    Ferguson's Farewell (The Irish Connection) Songwriter compilation

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1.
Myshall Morning Melody 04:20
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Myshall Morning Melody Wandering down a narrow lane in the Myshall morning mist A cross eyed cat beside me through every turn and twist Sheep wail down in the valley hear the crows loud beck and call Sun peeks over the mountain old Leinster standing tall Yellow Furze on either side and heather on the rise A gentle Myshall morning breeze shakes the trees and sighs All of nature wakes again to embrace another day While deep in my soul a song is born and it begins to say Chorus: Myshall morning melody swirling round and round In a close and tender harmony with nature’s morning sound Like my early morning coffee that wakes me from my dreams About the beauty and my life among these hills and streams Myshall morning melody I remember when we first met in that place so much like this Your beauty took my breath away and the sweetness of your kiss Now I see things clearly and I wish that we could be Together again here in these hills my Myshall morning melody Chorus: Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Niall Toner (Bardis Music/IMRO/ASCAP)
2.
Broken Wing 04:15
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Broken Wing (Janet Henry/Gary Ferguson) Flying on a broken wing Flying on a broken wing It's hard for me these days I've found It's hard to get up off the ground I can't seem to cross the line I can't seem to cross the line Reaching out is just too much Reaching out but I can't touch Chorus: I just need a hand to steady me Heal this broken wing soar into the sky Like pictures in a rear view mirror getting smaller by the minute As I leave it all behind Instrumental break: Searching for my heart and soul Searching for my heart and soul Hiding somewhere in the night Hiding somewhere out of sight Chorus: On mended wings I'll fly away On mended wings I'll fly away Through silver clouds sunsets of gold When I've found my heart and soul Flying on a broken wing Flying On a broken wing
3.
Who I Am Today 04:04
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Who I Am Today Verse 1 In the quiet time of the morning Before the world awakes from its slumber That’s when I’ll start thinking about The mistakes that I made when I was younger Pre-Chorus 1 There in the dark That’s where I see myself Chorus Falling down and getting up again Heading blindly towards the light I hope for everytime I got it wrong, I got something right If I knew then what I know now There’s so much I would change But I’ll put my arm around that kid and tell her it’s ok Cause all of her mistakes made me who I am today Verse 2 One step forward and two steps back Did what I could to make my way through On a crooked road without a map Regrets I have many and sorrows a few Pre-Chorus 2 There in the dark, just trying to find myself Gillian Tuite (IMRO) Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI)
4.
Gettin' Old 03:18
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Gettin’ Old (Gary Ferguson and Charlie McGettigan) When they say you’re looking well you’re getting old When the day is hot as hell you’re feeling cold When you go on an ocean cruise And you can’t tie up your shoes And you can’t quite hold your booze you’re getting old When you can’t hear what they say you’re getting old When your plumbing every day is uncontrolled When you wonder who they are And you’re 50 over par There’s a line behind your car you’re getting old Chorus: You’re gettin’ old You’re getting old Your clothes are all smellin’ like blue mold You can never find your keys And you’re really hard to please You fart when you meant to sneeze, You’re gettin’ old Break: Chorus: You're getting old, you're getting old When you bore your kids to death with the jokes you’ve told You can’t cut your toenails Cos your belly’s like a whale’s When you give too much details You’re getting old When your bones begin to creak You’re getting old You don’t think before you speak you’re gettin’ old When you’re half way up the stairs And you’re wondering why you’re there When your sex life’s really rare you’re getting old
5.
To Say So Long 03:47
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“To Say So Long” Come take a walk with me along the river by the alder trees Remembering old times footloose and free Say, do you remember when Just how long has it been You and me, Shane, Sean and Finn Thinking back to then, I see the boys that became the men Our father’s guiding hand made us best of friends In the name of family pride, though often tested and often tried All for one we'd stand, fight and die Chorus: We were born all five of us in the shadow of this hill We were born each one of us to do our father’s will But time it moves along, now all but you and me are gone We come together now to say so long As kids we roamed these fields brought our mother home our wounds to heal Five boys can blow an awful lot of steam All just harmless fun little play when the work was done To bed with the moon to rise up again with the sun Chorus: Our father worked this land to make it yield and bend With a team and plow at first and a tractor by the end Now it’s all sold on our memories they live on Let’s walk this river’s banks to say so long Bridge: Nothing lasts forever time keeps rolling on Like this old river and the many come and gone Nothing lasts forever ain’t that what they say? Who knows maybe we’ll all meet up once again someday Come take a walk along by the alder trees tall and strong Down this river’s banks to say so long Roy Thompson/Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI)
6.
Ballad of Benny Freeman 03:53
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The Ballad of Benny Freeman Poor Benny Freeman wasn’t wanted in this world He got Scarlet fever his mother didn't even care * Silence grew around him, He’d never speak a word That’s the start poor Benny got, Don’t say this world is fair He was a disappointment to those who should have cared His father was no better said he was a marriage snare He’d often take his belt off and beat him black and blue Cruelty was the only touch his little body knew Chorus: Poor Benny Freeman this world was not for you But I swear I will avenge you if it’s the last thing that I do Poor Benny Freeman this world was not for you Woo Hoo Hoo Benny grew into a man-child and drifted down the line Naively seeking kindness that he would never find Sometimes he’d send me pictures everyone the same Another cheap motel room with a shadow in the frame One day I got the news of a shooting down in Maine Benny was alive but another man was slain He pleaded his innocence on signing fingers But they hauled him off to prison, said he had pulled the trigger Chorus: Benny sent me letters from his lonely prison cell Telling me all about all the horror and the hell They beat him and abused him not a thing could I do No way that I could save that sweet brother that I knew *Donna Murray and Joe Murray (IMRO) Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI)
7.
Drifting Away 03:00
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Drifting Away (Carrie Haskins and Gary Ferguson) Watching boats from on the shore Going back and forth and on to Baltimore Silver clouds, sky so blue* Thoughts go drifting back to you Just a note on a shelf You left and didn't even say goodbye Now I'm here by myself* Alone to cry and wonder why* Chorus-: Didn't know your love was drifting Didn’t even say goodbye What was it our our love was missing? Guess I'll never really know the reason why Time rolls on like a river flows Where it goes I'll never know Hope you find what you're looking for* It wasn't me and that's for sure* Broken heart's cure with time Time will pass and I will be just fine Till then I'll have these days* Thinking of you drifting away Chorus: repeat lines: Guess I'll never really know the reason why 2x Drifting Away
8.
Old Man In The Mirror 05:37
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Old Man in the Mirror (Gary Ferguson/Errol Walsh) Looking in the mirror, who's that staring back at me? Some old man, I don't even know Don't know where the time went, how it slipped away Won't be long till it's my time to go We played all the big shows from Maine to Alabam' From Portland all the way to San Antone All the pretty girls a man could ever want Never had to spend a night alone Chorus:  I used to be a showman Traveled this country far and wide Up and down these highways This old guitar by my side Now my days are getting shorter my nights are getting longer As time goes sailing by I used to be so young and bold but now I’m tired and old And I'm rocking on this back porch on my own But it aint so bad thinking ‘bout the times we had Remember that old truck stop out on highway 49 When old Billy Bob sat in with the band He got drunk and blew us off the stand Lord Lord Somewhere out on Highway 49 I sit alone thinking on the stories I could tell Tears of sadness, tears of happiness and joy And if I had a dollar for every tear I cried I’d give it all to be back on the road I was happy, life was sweeter then and every day was new Full of promise endless roads to run Each and every rainbow’s end was just round the bend out of view and everybody was my friend Chorus:  x 2
9.
Song For Taf 04:00
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Song For Taf It was 1980 and June’s first Summer’s day Wed beneath Mimosa flowers, oh we couldn’t wait That day there was a sign, was a rainbow around the sun Never saw it in my life, never saw another one And you were there with me Chorus: Our boys, they grew up quickly in this old house It’s an empty nest most of the time, yes quiet as a mouse Except for the times when little footsteps come around A little grandson running wild to wear his proud grandparents out And are there with me Chorus: There’s nothing ever gonna change how I feel inside I fell pretty hard in love when I first saw those eyes There’s no place I’d rather be than when I’m close with you I’m still in love with a little girl with eyes so big and blue Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh Kathleen, there’s one thing that I oughta know is true The smartest thing I ever did was to marry you As we grow old together, Hey, I still say "I do" To the little girl who stole my heart with her eyes so big and blue And you’re still here with me Chorus: Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI)/Shane Sullivan (IMRO)
10.
Slow Lane 04:00
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Slow Lane (Gary Ferguson and Mary Greene) I’m leaving Ballymore this morning Headed down to Reananerree Every back road I can find It’s life in the slow lane for me For the past week or more my hands are clinching Fists around a steering wheel There’s a band around my heart that’s just as tight Hope the slow lane can change the way I feel Hope the slow lane can change the way I feel Chorus: On the slow lane Ties unbinding On the slow lane Time for finding City lights, city nights city ways I don’t need ‘em anymore Got my sights on a brand new day Where the slow lane runs for ever more Chorus:
11.
Solitaire's Dance 03:23
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Solitaires Dance There are times like this I remember your kiss And your sweet tender touch on my skin Your green eyes so bright they could light up the night Lord I'm wearing those memories so thin Windows covered with tears these walls echo my fears Drafty chimney keeps howling my pain Winter nights so cold without you here to hold Lord I feel like I'm going insane Pre Chorus: I'll never forget you I won't even try Your memory will linger till the day that I die Chorus: It's those times like these when the mist hides the trees And the mountains just don't stand a chance The morning sunrise brings the tears to my eyes I'm still waltzing to Solitaires Dance Why did you leave me so broken completely I guess I'll never know Years will roll on and you'll still be gone Broken hearted and feeling so low Pre Chorus: Chorus: Ted Ponsonby and Gary Ferguson
12.
Ferguson's Farewell 03:45
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about

To say that you never know what is around the corner is in current times a cliché we perhaps could do without but, in good times or bad, like all clichés it contains a kernel of truth. So it was in the good times of July 2007 that I found myself at the Athy Bluegrass Festival in County Kildare. Among the headline acts that year was Gary Ferguson and his dobro playing partner Dave Miner. I knew of Gary Ferguson from my copies of Bluegrass Unlimited. He was a big deal. Bluegrass songwriter, bluegrass singer, bluegrass band leader all the way from the USA. Of course it will come as no surprise that the man I really wanted to meet was Dave the dobro player. Meet we did in the back lounge in the hotel just before their Saturday night gig. Gary, Dave, my wife Janet and myself. I think we played only a couple of songs, Janet sang. It was all that was needed, the bend in the road was just coming into view. They headed off to complete their tour but Gary and I kept in touch and in February 2008 we hit the curve. I got an e mail from Gary, Dave had suddenly and tragically died. I got another e mail, would I partner him on his 2008 tour of Ireland that was already in the planning. I spoke to Janet. This was a major US singer songwriter who had played with some of the best dobro players in the world. He was a personal friend of Mike Auldridge one of my dobro heroes. Could I pull it off, I wasn't sure I could. Well twelve years later and a good few tours down something must have worked. I will confess that it all nearly ended at the first rehearsal in the hotel bedroom in Donegal. We were tired, we were hung over. I learnt the intro note for note off the cd but Gary said I wasn't getting it right. (I later learnt the intro on the cd was wrong) We left it there and decided to wing it at the gig that night and it was one of the best gigs of the whole tour. From the first note to now we seemed to be a good fit. His songs, his singing, my style made for a good blend. But, as I say, cliché or not, there is always another corner to turn. It has been a longer corner than first expected but sadly I think we are round it now and hence Ferguson's Farewell. I can only say thanks to Gary for the experience and the friendship. I saw more of Ireland in that first tour than I had seen in my entire life! Most of all it was fun and in these uncertain times we all need some of that!
Colin Henry

credits

released September 22, 2021

1. Myshall Morning Melody (Niall Toner/Bardis Music LTD/IMRO/ASCAP & Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Joe Murray (bass), Colin Henry (dobro), Janet Henry (harmony vocal), Ted Ponsonby (Hammond organ), Emory Lester (mandolin), Ron Stewart (fiddle), Gary Ferguson (vocal and guitar)

I have known Gary Ferguson for quite a few years, but it has only been in recent times that we have finally got around to doing some serious writing together. Like so many things in life, there's no point in having regrets about not doing this much sooner, and maybe the best way to look at things is to say, 'better late than never', and that has been the case with us. We have written three of four Songs together, recently, and MYSHALL MORNING MELODY is one of those that means a lot to me, personally.
I am privileged to live in a beautiful part of Ireland, in the shadow of the Blackstairs Mountains on the Carlow/Wexford Border, near a small Village called Myshall. The actual name of our location is COOLASNAUGHTA, which loosely translated from Gaelic means Field-Of-Snow, so-called for the likelihood of Snow accumulating in Wintertime, because of the Winds swirling in the 'lee' of Mount Leinster.

Gary came here on a visit, and we spent some great times, playing at a Songwriter's Gig in Bunclody, and generally exploring the locale and it's inhabitants. Gary loves to walk and explore, and on one such occasion he returned to my house with an almost fully-formed idea for this gorgeous Song. We sat with it for a while, and I pitched in a few ideas, and hey, presto, a result, and a good one, at that ! Mention should also be made of a stray Cat called MOLLY FURBALL, who features in our Song, as she followed Gary on his rambles, up the hill, by RAHEENLEIGH. Great Song, Gary, and a great memory of your visit. Niall, June 2020 (Niall Toner)

2. Broken Wing- Janet Henry (IMRO) and Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Janet Henry (vocal, guitar and harmony), Colin Henry (weissenborn), Joe Murray (bass and backing vocal) Recorded and produced by Joe Murray at Sessions in the House Castledawson, Northern Ireland.

BROKEN WING was first born on 21st April 2019 as I sat in my sunroom with my guitar, as I usually do when I’m in a writing mood. As I played, a melody emerged that I liked, along with a few lyrics that fitted. The imagery I was getting was about going forward, leaving the things behind that hinder us.... going from the dark into the light and being strong. I never performed it, nor recorded it, and it needed a verse to resolve it, so it was perfect when Gary asked to co-write a song with him for his project. So after Gary’s verse was added, along with a couple of other tweaks, BROKEN WING was re-born on 17th June 2020. (Janet Henry)

3. Who I Am Today (Gillian Tuite/IMRO & Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Gillian Tuite (vocals and guitar), Rod McVey (piano and hammond organ), Joe Murray (all other instruments and backing vocal). Recorded and produced by Joe Murray at Sessions in the House Castledawson, Northern Ireland

"I met Gary on his most recent trip to Ireland (he said it was going to be his last, but I'm not so sure). Having so many songwriter friends in common, I offered to pick him up from the airport early one morning. We stopped at a cafe for breakfast and had a great chat about life and music. I went along to one of the shows on that tour and loved hearing his wonderful songs.

I was delighted when Gary asked me to be involved in this project. I suggested we might write about looking back on our younger selves, and our collaboration was born. While we were both able to approach the theme from different perspectives, I always felt that Gary completely understood where I was coming from. His experienced touches in getting the song 'just right' were invaluable. It truly was a pleasure to write with him." (Gillian Tuite)

4. Gettin' Old (Charlie McGettigan/IMRO & GaryFerguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Charlie McGettigan (guitar and vocal), Joe Murray (bass, guitar and backing vocal), Donna Murray (backing vocal), Colin Henry (Dobro). Recorded and produced by Joe Murray at Sessions in the House Castledawson, Northern Ireland

"I've been writing songs about getting old since I turned 40. Now I'm about to turn 70 and it was kind of reassuring to  find that Gary isn't far off that particularly roundy birthday himself. We shared our different ideas and came up with "Gettin' old". It's always interesting writing with Gary because there are certain terms that are different in his vocabulary. I remember in another song the term "Spring peepers" appeared. I had no idea what they were (still don't). This time the word "Queue" was a difficulty. Gary would say a "Line" of cars whereas I would say a "Queue" of cars. As usual though, it was good to write with Gary" (Charlie McGettigan)

5. To Say So Long (Roy Thompson/IMRO/Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI/Frankie Lane, IMRO) Roy Thompson (vocal and guitar), Frankie Lane (pedal steel and all other instruments), Gary Ferguson (backing vocal). Recorded and mixed by Frankie Lane at Cois Tine Studio Kildare, Ireland

"A few years back Gary suggested we should write together. Co-writing was something I'd never really done, so I was happy to try, and to see what might come out of it.
I sent Gary a tune I'd had for ages; it was kinda my warm up piece, and I had no lyric for it and no idea to add one.
Gary dug it, saying it had "a very reminiscent feel to it", and he sent me a few ideas, along with the bones of the first verse.
It took me down a road to a subject that almost unbeknownst to me, I'd been trying to write a song about for years - one that's close to my heart, growing up farming.
I wrote more verses and choruses, and together we pulled them into shape, editing and tweaking it til we were happy.
To Say So Long is essentially a song about nostalgia, revisiting the narrator's homeplace, a farm now sold on out of the family, but it's also a commentary on the loss to 'progress' of traditional family farms, and their replacement with intensive/industrial holdings.
No song stands still, and we both do slightly different versions. Songs speak differently to every listener, and to every writer. We're proud of this one, and I'm delighted to contribute my part of it, and my version of it, to this wonderful project. We hope you like it." (Roy Thompson)

6. Ballad of Benny Freeman- Donna Murray (IMRO),Joe Murray (IMRO) and Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Ted Ponsonby Dobro & acoustic guitar,  Niall Murphy fiddle, and Joe Murray on bass and Bv's. Donna Murray Vocal & bv's. Recorded and produced by Joe Murray at Sessions in the House Castledawson, Northern Ireland.

The ballad of Benny Freeman is a rootsy, bluegrass murder ballad about an unwanted child born to parents who neglected him during a childhood illness. As a result Benny spent the remainder of his life deaf & mute.

Not wanted by his family Benny leaves home looking for the love he never had but instead finds himself in trouble with the law when he is accused of shooting a man.

Although Benny was innocent he was sentenced to prison where he was abused and killed by inmates because he couldn't speak. The song is written from the perspective of his brother who vows to avenge Benny's murder. (Donna Murray)

7..Drifting Away (Carrie Haskins/IMRO- Paul Costello/IMRO & Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Carrie Haskins (vocal), Paul Costello (guitar), Joe Murray (bass, drums, piano lead guitar and backing vocals). Recorded and produced by Joe Murray at Sessions in the House Castledawson, Northern Ireland

Once I heard Gary’s album “songs of mine” and his particular track, “all along the gooney”, I just knew myself and co-writer paul would love to write and have a song with Gary. I sent Gary some melody ideas Paul and I had lying around that we were stuck on lyrics for. Our new found friendship grew as we worked away on the song. Gary immediately had the beautiful imagery of boats on the shore along Baltimore from a trip he once took, and we decided to use this as our starting point. He came up with the tile “drifting away” and we quickly brought the song to life. It’s brilliant to work with such a writer who can just add to a song without hesitation and also make you feel so comfortable, as when writing with someone new can be very daunting at times. Gary is a master lyricist and we are truly blessed to be apart of such a wonderful collection of artists and songs on this album.  (Carrie Haskins)

8. Old Man in the Mirror -Errol Walsh (IMRO) & Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Errol Walsh (vocals and guitar), Joe Murray (bass), Rod McVey (piano and hammond organ)

“Gary sent me some initial audio and lyrics for this song... I asked him if he had a specific theme in mind and he replied “Yeah. The retired old fart sitting on his back porch rocking in his rocking chair thinking about the good old days.” 
I thought “Yep... right up my street ... I qualify on the basis of experience ?...... job done!”
(Errol Walsh)

9. Song For Taf (Shane Sullivan/Bardis Music & Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Shane Sullivan (vocals), Joe Murray (bass), Ted Ponsonby (guitars), Colin Henry (weissenborn) Mixed by George Hodgkiss

"Gary and I have been writing for years and I was delighted to be part of making his and Tafs big day and wonderful milestone(40th wedding anniversary) very special with "Song for Taf" ......a pure love song straight from the heart......to hit the heartstrings" (Shane Sullivan)

10. Slow Lane (Mary Greene/IMRO & Gary Ferguson/Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Mary Greene, vocals and guitar, Noel Shine, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and whistle

" Gary and I had met several times at festivals in Ireland. There was a natural camaraderie, so one beautiful Summer's day Gary drove the long road from Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare to Renaniree, Co. Cork. He may or may not have gotten lost on the way but his time in the slow lane inspired the jumping off point for this song. We had a lovely time getting images together for this one and I was truly delighted to be asked to co-write it with such a fine songwriter as Gary Ferguson. The recording of it was a lovely project for myself and Noel Shine, my partner in music and in life." (Mary Greene)

11. Solitaires Dance- Ted Ponsonby and Gary Ferguson (Gunny Sack Music, BMI) Ted Ponsonby (guitar and dobro), Sarah Ponsonby (fiddle), Brendan Emmett (mandolin), James Blennerhassett (bass), Gary Ferguson (vocal), Joe and Donna Murray (backing vocals). Music tracks recorded at Soundpool Studio, Letterkenny, Ireland

Gary and I have never met but he feels like someone I've known a long time. I think we first met through the internet on facebook and through Colin Henry. I love his writing and singing. I sent him an unfinished song of mine (Solitaires Dance) and we kicked it back and forth via the internet on music and word files till we were both happy with it. i hope we get the chance to meet and play live sometime when its all safe to do so. A big thanks to Gary for helping to complete my song. I'm happy to be a part of this CO write album and wish him n Taf all the best in the future......... (Ted Ponsonby)


12. Ferguson’s Farewell (Colin Henry, IMRO) Piano and organ played and recorded by Matt Evans; Bass played and recorded by Joe Murray; Dobro played and recorded by Colin Henry. Mixed by Joe Murray and produced by Colin Henry.

“Ferguson’s Farewell began life just as the title suggests. It was composed and intended as a one off performance at the Red Room, Cookstown to mark a farewell to Gary on what was to be his final tour of Ireland. As fate and luck would have it Gary returned and the tune sort of returned too. There is a YouTube video of the Red Room performance. The tune had taken 15 minutes to write the day before and we hadn’t played it through before so the live rendition has a bit of an unfinished unpolished  feel to it. Maybe it was always meant to return so I could do the tune and Gary justice!”


Mastered by George Hodgkiss Phoenix Productions Browntown, VA  USA

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Gary Ferguson Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gary Ferguson is a singer, songwriter who has been a mainstay of the bluegrass and Americana scenes since the 1980's.
Colin Henry is from North Antrim and is one of Ireland’s leading dobro players. He has recorded and played with many artists both local and international. ... more

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