Tuesday 16 March 2021

 Hi Everyone,

still very, very busy! I am trying to balance the new work that I'm booking in with the existing jobs that I'm working through. And balancing the short-term smaller jobs with the longer-term more complex ones.

I don't ever want to rush any jobs, big or small, or give any of them less than my full attention, so there is a chance that I will have to stop accepting new work for a few weeks at least.

I have some family commitments for a couple of weeks in May, so April will be crucial.

Thanks as always for your support and trust.

Just had some bad news: my old friend Doug Parkinson has died. The older among you will remember Doug from the '60s and '70s, and maybe even some of the younger folk will have heard of him. Plenty of obituaries and YouTube clips up there for you to follow. Look them up.

I only knew Doug for a year or two, when we were both working on the hit musical "Buddy!", but he was a warm and splendid chap, and during the show became a "buddy" of everyone in the cast and crew. I grew up listening to music from his generation (including some of his music!) and, along with the other cast and crew members who had grown up with that music, we'd have lots of after-show chats about the early days of Australian rock music and music and the world in general. 

Great singer and a great professional. He played the role of J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) the singer who was killed in the same plane-crash as Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. His work ethic (let alone his voice!) was an inspiration to us all on the show.

I was privileged to know Doug for a while.

Sincere condolences to his family, but also massive condolences to the Australian Music Industry - we have lost a giant.

Andrew