This afternoon, I had a lovely chat with Lynn Morris and Marshall Wilborn. Longtime bluegrass fans are well familiar with Lynn’s many years as a performer, bandleader and friend to our music, and we all felt a great loss when she suffered a stroke in Match of 2003, keeping her off the road and out of the studio.

We’ve heard from many readers since then asking how she is doing, and we are happy to share that she is doing fine, and continuing to make progress in her struggles to recover. Lynn suffered her stroke 3 days after what was expected to be a routine knee replacement procedure (due to a blood clot), leaving her with a substantial reduction in facility on her right side, and a frustrating aphasia that restricts her ability to communicate verbally.

As we spoke today, Lynn’s language issues were apparent, but she takes it all in stride with good humor and an enduring spirit. Marshall, her husband and former musical partner, joined us in the conversation, and would pop in to help whenever Lynn was unable to complete a thought or find the word she was after.

She has been working with a speech therapist, and is making progress in dealing with her aphasia.

“I found a teacher in DC, Darlene Williamson – I can write a letter now. She works with stroke survivors, and has all the knowledge.

My talking is not exactly right, but I’m good. I’m a strong woman.”

Marshall explained how Williamson came into their life…

“Darlene has been working with Lynn for a while, and it’s a very positive thing. The two of them have become great friends. Darlene is one of many angels that have come into her life.

Our friend Esther Meckler (from Connecticut) found Darlene for us. Esther is the head of SpayUSA, and we became friends through Lynn’s association with ASPCA and her animal welfare activities.

About 3 years ago Esther was visiting DC, and we met her for dinner and talked about Lynn’s aphasia. Within a day or two after that, Esther had done the one thing that had never occurred to me to do – get on the Internet and Google aphasia – and she found this place about an hour from where we live called the Stroke Comeback Center, Darlene’s practice.” (more…)

This afternoon, I had a lovely chat with Lynn Morris and Marshall Wilborn. Longtime bluegrass fans are well familiar with Lynn’s many years as a performer, bandleader and friend to our music, and we all felt a great loss when she suffered a stroke in Match of 2003, keeping her off the road and out of the studio.

We’ve heard from many readers since then asking how she is doing, and we are happy to share that she is doing fine, and continuing to make progress in her struggles to recover. Lynn suffered her stroke 3 days after what was expected to be a routine knee replacement procedure (due to a blood clot), leaving her with a substantial reduction in facility on her right side, and a frustrating aphasia that restricts her ability to communicate verbally.

As we spoke today, Lynn’s language issues were apparent, but she takes it all in stride with good humor and an enduring spirit. Marshall, her husband and former musical partner, joined us in the conversation, and would pop in to help whenever Lynn was unable to complete a thought or find the word she was after.

She has been working with a speech therapist, and is making progress in dealing with her aphasia.

“I found a teacher in DC, Darlene Williamson – I can write a letter now. She works with stroke survivors, and has all the knowledge.

My talking is not exactly right, but I’m good. I’m a strong woman.”

Marshall explained how Williamson came into their life…

“Darlene has been working with Lynn for a while, and it’s a very positive thing. The two of them have become great friends. Darlene is one of many angels that have come into her life.

Our friend Esther Meckler (from Connecticut) found Darlene for us. Esther is the head of SpayUSA, and we became friends through Lynn’s association with ASPCA and her animal welfare activities.

About 3 years ago Esther was visiting DC, and we met her for dinner and talked about Lynn’s aphasia. Within a day or two after that, Esther had done the one thing that had never occurred to me to do – get on the Internet and Google aphasia – and she found this place about an hour from where we live called the Stroke Comeback Center, Darlene’s practice.” (more…)

With Tom Adams making the move to Flamekeeper, we asked Bill Emerson who would be stepping in to play guitar with Sweet Dixie.

And he tells us that guitarist John Miller is joining the group as of August 1. John was most recently a member of Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice, where he played mandolin and sang tenor. Bill says that the whole band is thrilled to have John join them, and that Wayne Lanham will now assume most of the lead male vocals in the band.

Bill and John have performed and recorded together several times in the recent past, and Miller jumped at the chance to work with Emerson again.

“Bill is truly a hero of mine and I am lucky enough to consider him a friend. Bill has done a lot for our music and wants to keep making records and play good Timing. I’m excited about the opportunity of playing with him and making some new music in the studio.”

Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie have nearly completed a new CD which includes John on guitar. It is scheduled for release in early 2010.

Bill Evans sent a note last week with news of the 2009 NashCamp Banjo Retreat scheduled for October 16-18 just outside of Nashville.

As always, they have a crackerjack staff of banjo instructors on tap, and Evans was especially pleased to note that this year Bill Emerson will make his NashCamp Banjo faculty debut. Joining Emerson will be host Sonny Osborne, Alan Munde, Tom Adams, Charlie Cushman, Ned Luberecki, Bill Evans and Frank Neat.

This will be their 9th year holding this event which Evans tells us is as oriented towards having fun as it is serious banjo instruction.

You can see all the details about the 2009 NashCamp Banjo Retreat online.