Quotes from the "Thank you" file

There's no doubt about it, the music world can be uplifting, demoralizing, inspiring and deadly, all in the same heartbeat. Years ago when I was working at Sing Out! Magazine, I picked up a neat trick from my co-workers Sarah Plant and Mimi Bluestone. The trick was to keep a "Thank you" file. Anytime anyone gives me a complementary card, e-mail, etc., I put it in the file. When times are bad and you are feeling low, browsing through the "Thank you" file really lifts up the spirits.

So here is my "Thank you" file, edited for brevity. And "thank you" to all of the people who have taken the time over the years to share a kind word. It means something.

Bob

Famous People

Thanks for sending your performance schedule. I am very much your fan.
Wish you could lead like 1,000s of local people at a time in outdoor sing-alongs of what they call in Europe center-left tunes.
Ed Sanders -The Fugs 9/3/2005

"Bob, based on my past experience, I need to be about 4 inches from the microphone. I think you need to be about 4 feet!".
Pete Seeger, 1978 Beacon Strawberry Festival.

"Whoa, you've sure got some set of pipes!"
Fredrick (Brother Kirk) Douglas Kirkpatrick
1975 Hudson River Revival.

Festivals

Let me express my sincere thanks to you for your participation in Martin Van Buren National Historic Site's Harvest Day at Lindenwald. Over 2,400 visitors came to Harvest Day. Your musical performance was a highlight of the day. It is always a delight to have you at Lindenwald.
Harvest Day is a great combination of history, entertainment, instruction and fun which underscores the importancee of farming to our eighth president as well as its continuing importance to the region today. Your efforts on Harvest Day at Lindenwald contributed directly to the overall success opf the day in relating the importance of agriculture, husbandry and craftsmanship to hundreds of people.
James Mckay
Chief Ranger
Nartional Park Service

Thanks for your participation in helping to make this year's Winter Warm Up a success! I know that everyone enjoyed your music.
Stacy Van Derake

Thanks for everything. It was a delight to meet you & you are a terrific performer.
I just wanted to write and say thank you for offering your talents at our Pumpkin Festival. The day was quite a success. The music was wonderful.
Jill Mastro
Hudson River Maritime Center
November 5, 1984


You did a wonderful job with the Bluestone Festival. Thank you for your support and great music. We hope you will play again next year. Thank you
Bluestone Festival
Ed Pell & Denny Connors
October 12, 2004


Thank you very much for your wonderful concert at Circle Lodge
Nachum Lerner
The Workman's Circle
August 30, 2001

The contribution of your talent was instrumental in making the evening more fun and a great success. We look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future.
Rae Schlecht,
PresidentMid-Hudson Vegetarian Society April, 6, 1996

Your music allowed everyone to go back to a different time. When times were tough but smiles were easy to come by.
The clambake served over 100 people and raised $1,000. The Burning of Kingston is an important part of our history and it takes a group effort to come together.
Christine Howard and Kate Mihm
Kingston Urban Cultural Park Commission


Thank you !, You were Great!
Judy Green
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Harvest Festival
Sept, 29th, 2005




The image of your group … and the look of joy portrayed on your face during your performance certainly made our calendar special

Ann Marie Schaummann
Columbia County Tourism Department
September 26, 2005

Historic

Fortunately, Bob Lusk is still singing and playing and collecting American and International folk music. I encourage you to visit Bob Lusk's web site/blog at:http://www.boblusk.blogspot.com/"
Bob Horan
www.bobhoran.com

I just wanted to drop you a note and thank you for your well-paced feature last night. I feel the Community of the Kingston Area owes you a lot for you many years of research and performance in the areas of Traditional and Contemporary Folk Music. I particularly liked the songs you wrote -keep cranking 'em out!
Denise Jordan Finley
Hudson Valley Folk Guild
May 7, 2000


We had many good comments about your being under the Deyo Parte Cochere. People enjoyed your music.
Esther Deyo Aldridge, Chairman
Huguenot Historical Society
August 28, 1999


The performance was wonderful, and the changes of costume really fit in with the mood of our site. I hope you will return next season to play again
Cathy Gonzales
Director of Education
June 13, 2000


Just arrived home. Thanks for a fine performance at our Elderhostel
John Ryan
September 1999

It will be a pleasure listening to your music again this year. I feel that it gives the class a flavor of the Hudson Valley
Ernie Tiebout
A.G.E. Elderhostel


I hope that you enjoy the pictures and are able to use them...you have gifted voices..thank you for sharing them...
Helene Broadie
Martin Van Buren Historic Site
September 27, 2004


Irish

Very fine looking and sounding group! Everyone wants to hear you guys!
Tom Hoffay
St. Patrick's Parade Committee
1988


Thank you for helping to make the very first "Hooley on the Hudson" the event of the year. You guys are great!
Bill Yosh
Ancient Order of Hibernians
September 2002

I would like to thank you for the wonderful Irish Program at our March meeting. Many, many favorable comments came back to me. Everything was enjoyed the Irish tunes your group sang, and the sing-a-long at the end of the program. Old Dutchers love to sing.
Hannah Little
Old Dutch Church
March 11, 1996


All of us here at Bear School want to thank you for making our St. Pat's Celebration so special. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Ronnie, Darlene & Fran
Winter Bear School
March 26, 1996


Much appreciation for providing the wonderful Irish music. We had no idea what a treat we were in for at our Corned Beef Dinner. We had a real good time - what a nice touch. Last year we had complaints that we didn't have any music - people were really surprised.
Janis Carlson

It probably was the most festive welcoming of St. Patrick's Day that many of the folks had had for a long time.
Reservoir United Methodist Church
March 13, 1994

Nursing Homes

Thank you for coming to our "home" and entertaining us for the Christmas Party on C-3. We love having you guys come in. The "band" really has a way with our residents. We are looking forward to seeing you real soon
Vinnie Uvino - Activities
Ulster County Infirmary
January 9, 1994


I would like to thank you for a wonderful sing-a-long. Our members, guests and staff enjoyed your performances and are still talking about it today. Our members look forward to seeing you again.
It was a great time for all. Again, thank you very much. You really helped to make many of our member's day a joyous one with your musical talents.
Elfriede Anuska - Activity Director
Fireman's Home - Hudson, NY
June 21, 1997


I'm sure it was evident that we greatly enjoyed the songs, especially those that had local associations. It was a very lovely program
Margaret Coats, Cor. Secretary
New Paltz-Gardiner Senior Club
August 12, 1993


We enjoyed the sing a long and the folk songs you sang so well. Everybody loves music and the music maker.
Agnes Knatz
Senior Citizens Club of New Paltz-Gardiner
March 10, 2000



Thank you for entertaining New Paltz Seniors We surely enjoyed your playing & singing the songs we love.
Marian Dietz
New Paltz Seniors


Thank you for coming to play for us! The residents truly enjoyed your performance
Yvette Rose
Director of Recreation Therapy


I enjoyed you and your music. You are a great musician. God Bless you and I thank you very much.
Philomena Ciarlante

The music was a new dimension to our auction.
Courtney Feeney
Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Ulster County
11/27/02


The talents you shared while singing and playing "old favorites" were thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Sherrie Williams, CSW
Gateway Continuing Day Treatment Program
September 20, 1996

You have made a lasting impression on all of us. Thank you very much for sharing your talents and taking the time to perform on each of the units.
Ellen Indelicato
Theraputic Recreation Program Coordinator
Northeast Center for Special Care
Jan 4, 2001

It was great to have your energy, warmth and musical talent here!! I am sure that you are "as good as it gets"
Ida Luria


The Yearly Party!

Thanks for the wonderful time tonight! This year's party was another in a long string of memorable fun folk music parties. I really enjoyed it.
Andy Bing (Always first to arrive)

Thanks very much for a great party! Ana had fun singing and the kids had fun upstairs and didn't want to leave! Hope to see you again next year or sooner!
Dan & Ana Schiaveta

Bob, I just wanted to thank you and your family for a wonderful evening-it was my second visit, and I was really looking forward to it this year. It brings a warm, summer breeze to an otherwise frozen winter, and I really appreciate the hard work, gracious hospitality and bountiful provisions. May you be rewarded many-fold for providing a warm, safe and friendly oasis in an otherwise-cold and often hostile world--
Mark Rausher/Present-Day Products January 29, 2006

Thanks so much for inviting us to your music party. It was a great time. I want to try to expose my girls to a lot of the same music I knew growing up. Although they started slow, eventually they were singing, dancing ,and playing along, and having a great time.
We all appreciate it!
Mark Rust

Thank you so much for your invite to this year's party, Carol and myself had a wonderful time. So much great music and fun. Your get-together has become one of the things we look forward to every year.
Harry Jameson

I had a really good time at your party.I have a very difficult time describing it to anyone who has never been to one, though. Thanks.
Bruce Blair

Peace

We've got Bob Lusk, we don't need no stinking marching band!
Jay Wenk, Veteran’s for Peace
Woodstock NY Memorial Day Parade 2007

Now we know why he's the man who needs no introduction!
Danielle Woerner - July 2004
Voices for PeaceFaculty-Adjunct: Vassar College Drama Dept.,
Bard College, Dutchess Community College


Bob Lusk, one of the Kings Mall 7, sang an original song "Read Me the Dead" which could become THE Iraq War lament with a strong, from the heart, baritone.
Joan Walker
Enlist For Peace Legal Defense Fund
October 2006


He really is one of the best folksingers in the Hudson Valley
Jack Smith
Organizer - Peace Rally in New Paltz, NY
2005

In the name of the Kosovo refugees and of the UUC, I wish to thank you for your most sincere performance during the concert. Your efforts helped to send over a thousand dollars to the victims in Kosovo.
Susanne Bouquet-Chester

Dear Robert,

On behalf of Arts for Peace, I am writing to notify you that your poem/song "Read Me the Dead" has been selected as Arts for Peace's Peace Poem of the Month for December 2006.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Colleen Geraghty
Arts for Peace
Peace Poem of the Month



Press

"His tone is smooth and his a-cappella numbers, some in Gaelic were .....satisfying. Standout songs included "The Star of the County Down"...and "Katie Morgan," a low-down drinkin'-and-wishin'-she-was-marryin'-me song".
Todd Paul - Woodstock Times

"His music flows in a gentle baritone, smooth and graceful, like seagulls gliding toward shore. His repertoire is vast. . . His instrumental talent is as wide as an open country field."
James Cuppola - Rondout Landing Newspaper

Our feature was the man rightly considered the troubadour of Ulster County, Bob Lusk. Bob is well known for his strong base in the traditional repertoire while not ignoring more contemporary music. He sang the traditional "She Moved Through the Fair" and honored more contemporary compositions by doing songs of Charlie King and Dan Alger. He also performed "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and Andy Stewart's "Ramblin' Rover." In his finale, Bob asked all the musicians present to join him as he played a lovely tune on the Peruvian flute.
Les Herring - Hudson Valley Folk Guild Newsletter -September 1998


After the break veteran guitar man and featured performer Bob Lusk took center stage. "Bonny, Bonny Broom" set the tone. Bob is best known for his interpretations of classic traditional and folk tunes from around the world. Based on a classical guitar piece, "This Game That We play" spoke of forbidden love. "Monday Morning" spoke of that cursed day and the alarms's consequences. An old Blues Project song, "Love Will Endure", followed, followed in turn by "Ordinary Love" and "Soldier's Joy," on an authentic Irish tenor banjo no less. Two originals closed Bob's hearty set, "The Music Will Follow" and "Smoke Goes Everywhere". Thanks, Bob. It's a pleasure to hear a performer so at ease before an audience.
Cheryl A. Rice Hudson Valley Folk Guild Newsletter May, 2000

Recordings
I just wanted to tell you that I have been enjoying your CD very much. It has become very "instrumental" to get me out of some dreary times.
Betsy Eggers11/1/2002

I am enjoying the tape very much - and just in time for St. Patrick's Day!
Gaudete,
Tay Mueller
March 10, 1995

Again, many thanks for your great work on "Hootenanny Tonight: Songs that Changed America."
Peter Leonard, Ph.D
Vassar College


Everyone enjoyed the music very much.
Mike Clary
WKZE


Spiritual

We have been delighted with, and grateful for, his generous gift of time and talent to our congregation. Bob's knowledge of music and song is extensive and his sensitivity in choosing works hat complement the theme of the Sunday services has made him a pleasure for me to work with. He not only sings, he also leads us in a great variety of music, from children's tunes to a capella to improvisational audience participation. He has wide-ranging abilities with groups of all ages.

Bob is an extremely talented instrumentalist whose versatility extends to a number of instruments. In our congregation he has played the guitar, banjo and mandolin. His skill is impressive, truly. I heard him play and Irish tune with another musician on St. Patrick's Day and he was amazing.

Bob is highly creative and constantly stretching himself and us. He led a toning exercise during the service and now runs toning workshops for the general community. That kind of growth leads to his excellence.

The Reverend Linda Anderson
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills