here is a very cute story told about April, which I have heard when visiting the Scandinavian Countries. Apparently when the Months were first created, April was a very short Month and was very "sad" that it had so few days of it's own. The other Months, feeling sorry for April, each gave it a few days from their Months, so that it was as large and as long as most of it's "siblings". This - I am told - is why, during April, you can have weather from the other eleven Months i.e. you can expect wind, sun, rain, snow etc. etc. during April. I am not sure about the "scientific" take on this myth - but it is "cute"!

STOP PRESS - HANHURST'S "SOLD" - PALOMINO ARE THE SOLE DISTRIBUTOR!

If you haven't yet heard the news about this, please visit dosado.com/music (click on this link) and read Bill and Peggy's message entitled "The Tradition Continues".

This news came out of the blue - like the proverbial "thunderbolt"! For a very long time now, there have been two main players in the wholesaler/distributor arena who - whilst working in competition for customers - have also co-ordinated their efforts in an attempt to allow the production and distribution of new music to continue. No doubt many are asking what the effects will be of this "turn of events"; it is human nature to speculate upon the effects of "change" whenever it occurs. As I see it, this a very POSITIVE set of circumstances. Whilst I would be the first to recognize the tremendous efforts of Bill and Peggy Heyman (owners of Hanhurst's Tape and Record Service), I would also be the first to realize that this combination of the two "super-powers" can only be a good thing!

Historically, Sting and Snow Records owe a great deal to Bill and Peggy Heyman; they have been our agents in the U.S. since 1988 and have provided an impossibly high level of assistance in our efforts to provide new music for Square Dancing - for that I shall be eternally grateful! However, their decision to retire and sell on their interest - although something of a shock - is understandable; nobody can go on for ever and (to be completely fair) Bill and Peggy have "gone-the-distance" and then some… So they have decided to sell on to their number one competitor - Palomino.

Palomino, owned by Tom and Pam Dillander has been around for a long time. Like Bill and Peggy, they have taken on several other Square Dance supply companies that - for one reason or another - have decided to sell on to new owners.

For what they may be worth, here are my thoughts on this development:

30 years ago we had a boom in Square Dance retail, many people set-up small commercial concerns that provided for the needs of dancers and callers. Concerning record distribution alone, I recall, very clearly, such companies as "Sundance", "Mail Order Master Record Service", the original "Hanhursts" - as run by Don and Loretta Hanhurst and many others. For a while the Square Dance activity was dynamic and buoyant enough to support a large number of Wholesale and Retail outlets; this was an advantage of a growth market with a regular annual income of new dancers and new callers that supplemented the large existing customer base.

However, in recent years, the market has declined, which is unfortunate. This decline has occurred over the last 10 to 15 years and has made it impossible for many of the distributors to stay in business. It is very fortunate that - as a company decided to cease trading - there always seemed to be someone prepared to take on the burden and continue to serve the customers, who might otherwise have been left "high and dry".

Today's market cannot support the business levels of the 70's and 80's BUT there is still a market that needs to be serviced. By rationalizing the costs associated with distribution - an effect of "merging" companies - the "life-span" of the business can be extended; this is how I view the Hanhurst / Palomino merger (okay it's probably more correct to call it an acquisition - but I prefer the term "merger" as it conveys the amicable nature of what actually happened). Hopefully, now that Tom and Pam Dillander can administer to the needs of the vast majority, they will be able to derive enough profit - without excessive price increases - to keep the status quo and enable us all to be able to buy what we need, as we used to. Tom has already made several statements about the merger that indicate a good future, with little "avoidable" change; I have a lot of faith in Tom and Pam - they are "in touch" with the needs of our activity and are best placed to serve those needs.

Finally, therefore, I would like to offer my very best wishes to Tom and Pam - for the future - as well as my personal thanks to them for taking on this "burden"! Also my thanks to Bill and Peggy Heyman for all that they have done for both Square Dancing and for Sting and Snow Records; they created the concept of the "Partner Label" (subsequently extended to many other labels) to assist our company, which enabled us to stay around! I wish Bill and Peggy the very best for their future and Tom and Pam the best for theirs, although - in Tom and Pam's case - I hope to be an important part of that future (on the record selling side)!

NEW RELEASES - APRIL
Our new vinyl releases for April are: - "Lord Of The Dance" (vocal by James Wyatt), which is a version of the Sydney Carter song, made popular - in recent years - by Michael Flatley and his "Riverdance" dancers. Also featured is "Catch A Falling Star" (vocal by Paul Bristow with harmonies by Cherish Bristow); this tune is an old Perry Como classic that has featured in many Hollywood films.

Our re-release for April will be "Rose Garden" (vocal by Jack Borgström).

Our MP3 releases will be "A Coin In The Fountain" (vocal by Maarten Weijers) and "Here Comes The Night" (vocal by Tony Oxendine and Jerry Story)

INDIVIDUAL RECORD HISTORIES including ALL THE ADDITIONAL LYRICS:
The histories contain details about each original song, including it's production and provide the extra lyrics - as featured on the called side. You can access these by "clicking on the open-book picture, on the Catalogue, Latest Releases and Future Releases pages.

The fifth batch - featured this month - are:

• Lord Of The Dance
• Catch A Falling Star
• Diana
• From Both Sides Now
• Lady Down On Love
• How Do You Do It?
• Whiteline Casanova
• A Girl Like You
• How Much I Love You
• Lemon Tree, Just A

For details of the titles featured in the previous three months, check out the News-Letter and - if there are any that you would particularly like to see added just let us know.

Well I am looking forward to April, I have my sun-cream, my umbrella, my snow-shoes and my Wellington boots - I shan't be caught out! Er… why are people laughing at me..? Have a great month, talk to you again on the May News-Letter.

Go Squareful! - Paul Bristow (Owner and Producer Sting and Snow Records)