Thank You, Shirley!

As we've said before, friends Norman and Shirley Davis have brightened our lives in so many ways, coming out to be with us almost every Wednesday night for nearly four years now.  Well, we lost Shirley earlier this week -- her 96 years ended peacefully at the hospice house here in Huntington, and last night Norman and all of Shirley's children, traveling here from all over the Eastern United States, came together for a magical evening to remember Shirley just as she'd want us to -- with laughter and smiles, and only a few tears. From all of us: Thank you, Shirley.

My Dear Companion

Whenever The Flood has been doing a tune for several decades, we're a little reluctant to go back and listen to the original from which we learned it. That's because we prefer to let a beloved song evolve in our care, with the lyrics and the tune changing subtly -- and sometimes not so subtly -- with the ever-altering currents of our moods and latest band membership. Here's a case in point -- this tune, which has been a Flood standard since the 1980s, has been reborn recently, largely because of the tasteful vocal harmonies of our new Floodster, bassist Randy  Hamilton. So here's it is: The 2012 version of the Jean Ritchie classic, "My Dear Companion."

This One's for Shirley

We were just beginning the rehearsal this week when got the news that the health of our dear friend Shirley Davis has taken a bad turn and she's now in hospice care here in Huntington. Shirley and her husband, Norman, have been regulars at the Flood's weekly rehearsals for almost four years now. It was in early 2009 when our mutual friend, Rose Riter, brought Norman and Shirley to their first Flood practice, and they've been coming back almost every week. A Wednesday night isn't complete with their smiling faces in the corner. In fact, The Flood dedicated its latest CD to the Davises and Rose Riter to commemorate how much a part of our lives they've become. Usually, when there's a lull in the action and we ask Shirley what she'd like to hear, she calls on Joe Dobbs for a lively fiddle tune. Here's what we sent out to her this week. This one's for you, Shirley -- feel better, sweetheart.