The New Christy Minstrels®

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FAN MAIL

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Thanks, Ken, not only for the kind words, but for your help in manning the CD sales table. Your friendship (and fanship) is much appreciated. Yes, we had a wonderful outing in Hazleton last night. Every seat was occupied, and the audience couldn't have been better. Genuine longtime-NCM fans run the community concert association, so we were
treated like royalty...nice people!
Cheers! RS

You kids are just sensational...oops, sorry, that's the opening for my Jonas Brothers' fan homage, commenting on their great Acne Outbreak tour. Seriously, I'm writing about the living legends. Thanks, Randy and Becky Jo, for inviting me to enjoy extra time with my heroes. This concert was so much more enjoyable than the American Music Theatre appearance because you were the whole show! The extended time allowed for solos, more informative patter, and a relaxed, yet energized, performance.

I drove to Philadelphia today, listening to the NCM Recycled and The Cockamamie Quartet. The latter has the most clever songs I have heard in years The tracks remind me of Making a Mess of a Commercial Success, Bob Gibson's final album, doing the songs of Shel Silverstein. Recycled is everything you claim, Randy,--fresh and better takes on the originals. I hope that your Hazleton show was received in the same manner as the Willow Valley performance. As I sat at the CD table, people offered rave reviews which I am sure you heard echoed at the autograph table (and, I am certain, you never tire of hearing. Nothing improves our hearing more than a sincere compliment).

Hearing you twice in a little more than a month is a luxury I treasure. I stand in awe of the musicianship, creativity, and diverse talent that comprises The NCM, and to spend extra time with you all is an experience I shall never forget--well, that is, until the dementia kicks in.
Stay healthy, prosper, and enjoy the great blessings of life!
Gratefully,
Ken

Thanks much, Jonny; your warm comments are considered precious to an old
man. We're still out here performing on a nightly basis, and it's still
fun, even better than ever.
Cheers! RS

Hi Randy
I grew up with one of of your excellent albums 'Tall Tales'. That lp became very well worn as i grew up and i recently enjoyed it all over again when i recently visited my parents although it is mighty scratchy!. Anyways, my dad came over the other day with an easter present...'tall tales' and 'land of giants on cd' and i havn't stopped listening to it all day today!

All grown up now i've been a professional musicain for over five years, both as producer and artist working in London and now in my thirties i am rediscovering your magical music again with new ears. Some of it's connotations are personal and remind me of days of pure happiness, safe joyous sundays and lots of family love. In other ways the tracks still
make me laugh and feel their energy, even more than they did in my youth. Your blend of evocative, intelligent, often comical lyrics and superb musical arrangements continues to bring me so much happiness and i'm so pleased to discover you are still continuing to record, write and perform music (what a career may i add...congratulations!), i'm sure i'm gonna be an owner of your new album very soon. Well, i wanted to take the oppurtunity to say thankyou to you and all members of the new christy minstrels past and present for your wonderful music.
Kind Regards and best wishes for your forthcoming gigs
Jonny (anything worth doin' can be done by billy's mule) Goode

Subject: Thanks

From:Kenneth Mandell

Date: Fri, January 23, 2009 8:58 pm

To: randy@thenewchristyminstrels.com

Before too much more time passes, I just had to thank you for going

back out on the road and entertaining so many of us once again.

Growing up I enjoyed your music immensely.

"Today" is perhaps the most beautiful song ever written.

I have thought so from the first time that I heard it.

Your energy and the energy that the rest of the group

displayed when you

recently played here in St George, Utah was wonderful to behold.

Even after the stupid smoke machine set off the alarms

in the auditorium and we all had to evacuate the building,

you all bounce right back and continued.

During that forced intermission those of us brave enough

to go to the rear of the theater got to interface with the group.

I truly enjoyed talking with the group - people

who have always been my friends (even if I'd never

actually met them).

The many happy hours spent listening to your music has always

been time well spent - and there have been many,

many of those hours. My wife, my children

and countless others have enjoyed your talents

throughout the years.

I'm not particularly eloquent, but I just wanted to thank

you for making my life a little happier and more enjoyable.

I truly believe that we met in the late 50's or early 60's

just before you got out of the Navy when you ferried

me and my brother from the Lankershim

North Hollywood, California Greyhound bus station to San Diego.

I seem to remember that you were still writing a song (Today)

and that you were looking forward to your ETS.

From one who has loved your music since you first made records.

Thanks for everything.

Ken Mandell

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Despite the heavy rain and winds, the faithful came out to the Brunswick Community College

Odell Williamson Auditorium for the New Christy Minstrels performance.

But it was not a faithful few, rather a faithful, fun, full house of fans.

These fans not only came out in the rain, but

they stood in line after the concert ended, getting autographs and

reminiscing over their original LPs and even sheet music. Even Sonny and

Cher showed up for the event, along with a couple other hippies due to a

costume contest invoked by the signs of the times of the music that has

made a lasting impression on their fans. Needless to say, The New Christy

Minstrels were overwhelmingly received and embraced by our audience.

Mike Sapp, Director

Odell Williamson Auditorium

Brunswick, NC,

***********************

Hi Randy:

Though I had enjoyed your music in years past, I had long forgotten what

a joy it could bring to folds, and thought the group had faded into history.

What a pleasant and completely unexpected surprise to find out that the

Minstrels would appear in our little town of New Milford.

We thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, singing along when we could

remember the lyrics. The era of folk music is long gone but damn it was

nice to be able to sing along and tap your feet to music that didn't

dwell on some perverted theme. My wife and I are contemporaries, and

we're amazed at the energy that you and your group of younsters is able

to rouse to put on a great show. Then we looked at your schedule and

had to sit down, tired after just reading it. The era has changed, but be

assured that there are many of use still around who remember what good

music really is and appreciate the chance to hear it again live.

Keep up the mission and may God watch over you.

Best Regards,

Jack and Nancy O'Connor

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Hi Randy,

I have a friend (Patricia) who remembers your song No No Napoleon from

1957. She and her best friend used to dance around her bedroom to the

song. It was the B-side on a 45 along with I'll Be True. We've been trying

to find the song be have had no luck. Is No No Napoleon availabe on CD

anywhere? Thanks for your help.

Regards, Charles

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Dear Charles, Please tell your friend Patricia that she is the ONLY known person who

ever heard my first record, let alone danced to it. Wow! I'm amazed. I

had finally gotten there, I thought. I had a record on the market, and it

had been released, which in my mind gave it a life of its own, and I would

surely be successful. Didn't happen. Nobody but Patricia and her friend

even cared.

You have made my day....my month, even my long life! I'm seventy-five,

but I feel like I'm twenty-one all over again. The group (NCM) is

doing great business, and we get fan-worship stories on a nightly basis, but

this is the oldest such tale that's even possible.

Cheers! RS

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Randy

October 7, 2008

I just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed the October 5 concert in

Irvington NY. As you may remember, we are the couple

who traveled from

New York to both Vancouver and Arizona

just to see your performance. My wife is the "anti-folk music"

person who only wishes to hear some of the 50's music.

As we were driving home that night we spoke about the

performance of the group and as individuals.

We go to many shows of different types - at

least once a month to a Broadway show, we go to the

large venues to see

performers like Neil Diamond and Paul McCartney,

and to the smaller venues to see performers like

Judy Collins and Michael Feinstein. Up until

this year when Mary Travers became ill,

it was a rite of passage in my family

that as soon as a grandchild becomes 4 years old,

they were required to see

a Peter, Paul and Mary concert. If your show wasn't

on a next day school night,

some of them would have been there with us.

Any singer or group can sound fantastic on a CD.

That is something that

you can listen to when you want to hear and enjoy it.

When I go to a show and pay the prices that tickets

are going for today, I want to be

"entertained" - and by that I mean I don't want

the performer just

standing there and singing their songs (and believe me,

there are many stars that do just that).

You and the entire group, whether it is this

ensemble or the previous ones we saw in the

last couple of years,

are truly entertainers. Much credit must go to you

for the selection of

talent, but Randy, the way you handle and excuse

the word, manipulate the

audience makes it feel like a giant party with everyone

having a great

time. Even my non-folk wife was so complimentary

about everything and

her remark, once again, was "only if the songs were different,

it would have been a perfect 10."

I guess everyone is entitled to a complaint - so here it is. Only 2

hours? Why not 4 hours? So many great songs

were left out. Even though you may have forgotten

a word or two in a couple of places,

that actually made it even more enjoyable.

Like I said, it was a great

party and we are so glad that we were invited to it.

Jeff & Sharon Safran

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Editor's note: It should be noted that Jeff and Sharon Safran saw the restored group. The

New Christy Minstrels, Under the Direction of Randy Sparks,

in two of our early performances:

Vancouver, WA 2003, and Queen Creek, AZ 2005.

The seven performers who now comprise

the New Christy Minstrels were formally selected in January of 2006,

and the personnel

has remained largley, the same since that time. The choosing

of a winning team was

of necessity a long slow process, painful for some, and it should be pointed out that

ALL of our performers were entertaining, and we were proud to present them

as Minstrels, but the permanent aggregation had to have exactly the right

stuff to be both a collection of healthy competitive egos and a loving family.

Mission accomplished. RS

Cheers! RS

The Store Barb Evans 5953 Haugan Drive Missoula, MT 59803

The Store
Barb Evans
5953 Haugan Drive
Missoula, MT 59803