HAIL 2020, FAREWELL, NINETEEN

I want to wish all our friends, fans, colleagues and co – conspirators a very happy New Year 2020, in but a few hours from now. They say 2020 is a characteristic of hindsight, but we are looking for an onrush of foresight, as we say goodbye to what was for us possibly the most difficult year ever. Two major injury / illnesses and a couple of bereavements this past autumn rather derailed our cruise and caused the postponement of our UK /EU tour until May ’20.  That, and the theft of three of our main instruments on the eve of London’s Royal Albert Hall concert in July, all add up to pretty comprehensive roadblocks, the likes of which we hope not to see again.

Nonetheless, the year had its highs to compensate these giant lows, and some of our memories of 2019 are happy ones, and were mildly - to - heroically triumphant in several cases. I have to congratulate the guys for pulling off five major US west coast concerts in my absence after I was hauled in for emergency eye surgery in Los Angeles and forbidden to move for weeks! By all accounts they were splendid, and it goes to show nobody’s indispensible, and everything’s possible when you have that caliber of stalwart musicians and highly trusted people in your ranks. Bravo, chaps and my heartfelt thanks, again. The aforementioned Albert Hall show also turned out to be a much – acclaimed and revelatory experience for us all.

So, we are cautiously optimistic that this new decade will dawn without storm clouds on its horizon for everyone we know, and those we haven’t yet met. May your celebrations be warranted, and may the hangover tomorrow be short and mild, especially if you’re having Scottish-style “Hogmanay” tonight! We are looking forward to a resumption of full-service AWB activities without hindrance, and as we say goodbye to several close and long–time friends & family that departed this past year, I am sure that there will be a lot of fun to be had in 2020 and beyond – some of it I hope you’ll share at AWB concerts coming up – and if the last show of 2019 was anything to go by, breaking a string as soon as I picked up my guitar just put the end-page seal of farce on what had been our 2019.

Once again, a very happy and prosperous New Year – and new decade – to you all, and, as brother Ray Charles sang, Let the Good Times Roll.  Hail 2020, y’all.

A.G