September - usually the month when I travel to Nashville and record new music for Sting and Snow - but not this year… Owing to a very tight schedule (that's "shed-ule" in the U.K. or "sked-ule in the U.S.), I cannot make the trip until November, this year. However, the trip will be made! We have 11 of the 14 songs already chosen and therefore 3 still to be selected, which led to my choice of topic for this month's News-Letter.

Choosing tunes, in not easy. If you have read the earlier editions of this News-Letter, you will know most of the considerations that we have to make in selecting a square-dance-convertible song; in essence, these comprise, finding a song that:

• 1) has not been previously recorded as a Square Dance.
  
• 2) can be converted to the Square Dance structure, without too much alteration (not all songs can).
  
• 3) is a song with a sentiment or message that Square Dancers would enjoy and/or appreciate
  
• 4) is well-known enough to be recognised
  
• 5) or is so unique that it has a charm that will make it attractive.
  
• 6) can be licensed for use as a Square Dance
  

Whilst we have a great team of staff callers on Sting and Snow, they all face the task of recording as often as they can on our annual sessions. Their inclusion will depend upon many things - but - paramount amongst all of these has to be finding a song!

All of the Sting and Snow staff are on the lookout for new Square Dance tunes. They will often be found trying to "boom-chuck" a tune, to see if it might work. Consequently, we need your help. Whether you are a caller or a dancer, we would appreciate your suggestions for new tunes that we might be able to record. The company objective is to release 2 new tunes per month - i.e. 24 per year; this is more than any other label. To achieve this we need all the assistance that we can get, so don't be shy, think Square Dance, when you hear tunes - and - if you find one that you feel would be a worthy contender, let one of our fine callers know.

Now for the other news:

After suggestions from several of our subscriber callers, I have decided to simplify this information e-mail - less text, more details, I hope that you find this a little easier to read. Please let me know, if you have any further comments; ALL input is gratefully received - Paul Bristow.

BEST SELLER LISTING (positions on the July 2006 listing)

• No.5 - Face The Music And Dance - SIR 354
• No.6 - Streets Of Baltimore - SNW 1003

NEW RELEASES (September 2006):

• Layla - SIR 608 - vocal by: Jack Borgström
• Moviestar - SNW 1202 - vocal by: Astrid Heckmann

SPECIAL RE-RELEASE (September 2006):

• Only A Woman Knows - SIR 608 - vocal by: Jack Borgström

MP3/CD RELEASES (September 2006):

• Feel - SIR 708 - vocal by: Thorsten Geppert
• Jukebox Joe / Star Karta - SIR 519 - Double Instrumental - Hoedown/Patter

INDIVIDUAL RECORD HISTORIES including ALL THE ADDITIONAL LYRICS:
As all the previously released records have now been covered, this month's history sheet features our newest singing call releases: Layla and Moviestar.

If you want to hear how these top-selling recordings sound, just click on the musical note symbol .

Okay, I am now seeking economic passage to the Americas, for this coming November, in order to visit the most magnificent splendor of that testament to musical virtuosity - NASHVILLE - where I can revel, once again, in the wonders of the Magical Musical Mystery Tour Experience! Perhaps I can obtain cheap passage by pleading poverty to the wise and wonderful people that own and operate these incredible aviation services… Naah - I guess I will just have to "surf" the net and hope that I get lucky - "speak" with you next month!

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