Sad News

October 2007

Since our last Clunie Music blog in August my husband Al Ponting died peacefully on September 1st, 2007 from heart failure. He had been in hospital for a week following a sudden stroke and renal failure at the end of August.

I said in the last blog that Al had been to Right Real Records studios to record his songs and these will be made into a CD of Al's music early next year - all profits going to Al's favourite charity Habitat for Humanity.

Al's song "Valley of Love" was played at his funeral which was a wonderful celebration of Al's life with 100 friends from far and near. Chris Clayton from Right Real Records sang a special song for Al, "Goodnight", on the day and I led Al's favourite Gospel hymn "Amazing Grace".

"Valley of Love" has since had a Gospel choir backing added to the track which Al always wanted and it is to be released and promoted as a single throughout the Christian media in the States very shortly.

Ciaran & Heather

In October Ciaran and I made our long awaited visit to the Tump Folk Club in Brinklow and Seaford Folk Club on the south coast of England. We had two great gigs with very friendly and responsive audiences and hope to return to both sometime in the future.

Meanwhile, Ciaran has been having fun with his John Denver tribute concerts in Scotland. I was in the audience for the Perth concert and enjoyed the music and banter from the other side for a change.

We are both pretty busy with Music in Hospitals concerts and tours now in the lead up to Christmas and looking forward to warmer weather in our two week Music in Hospitals tour in Guernsey at the end of January.

Caim

The "Save Tara" concert in Derry, Northern Ireland that Caim took part in was different and a lot of fun. We surrounded this with our first music in hospitals concerts which seemed to go well. Sidney the snake was a particular favourite with everyone.

Meanwhile we've been enjoying preparing music and poetry concerts with Dunkeld poet Kenneth Stevens. Hopefully we'll tour these in Canada and the States next year.

November will find us in Milton Keynes for workshops and a concert and then providing the music for retreats in Scotland and Norwich with USA priest, Fr Gregory of the Order of Julian of Norwich. We'll also be back in Red Barn Studios again for a joint CD of music and meditation with Fr Gregory.

On the horizon too is another tour in Wisconsin, USA in March 2008. This time our travels will feature a number of library concerts so check out our gig page for that one if you live nearby.

That's it folks till next time!

Deep Peace

Heather