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Jostber, SteveL, hcm, bluesslave, Rene,

thank you, too, for your congratulations! I just noticed this today. Whenever I went into Blindman's the last days, I just looked about the last postings and really overlooked this thread, sorry and shame over me!

Well, about my name. The English pronunciation is a bit different from the German one. Rene will speak it the way we do over here. If you speak an "a" like in apple or an "e" like in Kevin, it would sound in a correct German way. Bernd is the short form of Bernhard but I'd been named Bernd not Bernhard. Translated from old Germanic language it means "hard" like a "bear". Looking at myself I think both isn't correct for myself, lol. Today my pre-name isn't popular anymore and so, if I hear or read about another Bernd, I know he must be about the same age like me. The popularity of pre-names always changes and I' sure when I'm an old man, parents will use it again to name their boys.

Now about my enthusiasm for gospel music. It started in 1964 when I first heard gospel music. I never heard anybody singing as "free" before. But I'm also interested in blues. But here on this forum so many people know much more about the blues than I do and so, I decided, I only should join in a blues discussion when I really have to tell some facts I Know. I've seen the Blues Festivals in 1967, 1968, 1989, 1970, Fall 1972, 1980 and 1981. I've also seen Muddy Waters and Otis Spann, Thomas Shaw, Doc Ross, B.B. King, Honeyboy Edwards, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Jimmy Witherspoon and others. I got autographs from John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Williams (who couldn't write but paint it, lol), Curtis Jones, Eddie Taylor, Shakey Horten (who also had problems to sign his name), Juke Boy Bonner, Magic Sam, John Jackson. the Chenier Brothers, Alex Moore, Earl Hooker, Carey Bell, Champion Jack, Willie Dixon, Louisiana Red, Honeyboy etc.. I like Eric Bibb and Guy Davis. And I'm in contact with Jeanne Carroll and Karen Carroll and with Janice Harrington. Seventyfive years old Jeanne Carroll recorded with Little Brother Montgomery and she's one of those being able to sing classical blues. I won't pass any concert of Louisiana Red within the region I live. Little Willie Littlefield is anounced to be in a small wine village fifty miles away from my hometown in November and surely will go to see him.

I'm not retired from my job and so, I'm sorry about missing times listening more to the blues. Being more a gospel music enthusiast, most times I put gospel recordings on the record player or the CD-player. When Tom invited me to join Blindman's, he probably did it because I wrote an article about Blind Willie Johnson on my homepage. But since Bill added "The Chariot", I knew this would be the forum of my main interest.

Thanx and regards.

Bernd