I suspect that some of you may know Bill Hinkley and Judy Larson, who have for around 40 years been at the center of the acoustic music scene in the Twin Cities, and who performed all over the place in earlier years. Bill taught hundreds (thousands?) of students to play guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and who knows what else.

Bill is at the end stages of his life in the hospice wing of the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, suffering from a blood disorder in which your bone marrow makes too many red blood cells. I spent the afternoon yesterday with him, along with a bunch of other friends, and he is quite weak. However, he was obviously listening to the music around him. As Willie said, "I can see Bill frown every time I play a clam."

I don't want to overstate it, but Bill has been a unique presence in local music, and the nurses and staff say they've never seen anything like the stream of folks coming in to see him. Adam Granger has been helping care for Bill for weeks, and is at the hospital every day. Garrison Keillor spent Monday evening with Bill and Judy. Here is his reflection from his Facebook page: "Garrison Keillor is visiting a dying friend and welcoming the spring. The knowledge of death seems to quicken the step and then the gorgeousness of life slows us down. Back and forth, back and forth. God forgive us if we do not love this life as we should." Tim O'Brien sent a package to Bill yesterday, from his tour in the UK. Peter Ostroushko was jamming in his room the other night. Bill is an incredibly humble, kind and generous man who has touched many musical lives.

The big deal today is that the hospital has made available a very large room at 3:00 for a jam—I think Pop Wagner, Dakota Dave Hull, Adam Granger, Willie Murphy, and many others will be playing with us mere mortals. The hospital is very excited to host this jam. They'll never see that much talent for free in one place again. Remember, folks, this is the federal government, and it's excited!!

Anyway, I'm trying to share this with as many folks as possible, so if you see it again, sorry about that. If you know Bill and/or Judy, think about sending a card to the hospital. He'll get it.

—Don Venne