April 1998

Dear Rhines,

Hello again. Thanks to everyone who found us at Bogarts. You were a fine
looking bunch. We had a good time getting the songs across even though as
usual by the end of the night at that particular venue, the sound seemed to
get more and more elusive on stage. I heard mixed reports about the sound
in the club, but I hope somehow it all managed to come together in ways that made
the everyday numbness fall away.

The good news is that Michael Timmons of the Cowboy Junkies came to the
show and spent some time with us, and it looks like we may be living a
good part of July through December on tour with them in North America.
Over the Rhine will open the shows and then Karin and I will join them for their set: she'll sing
along with Margo and I'll be playing some Hammond B-3 and Piano.  Jack and
Terry T. may sit in on some numbers as well. So hopefully this time we really
will be performing in a city near you. Finally.

On a different note, A&M Records has asked us to put together a little concert
so that they can take a peek at us in action. Critique our clothing and
haircuts. Experience first hand our mid- western exuberances.  This is
probably one of  a number of these types of concerts we'll be doing, but it's
always good to have a few familiar faces present.

We're selling about 65 tickets at The Buzz Coffee Shop at 2900 Jefferson
Avenue here in Cincinnati, where the concert will be held this coming Sunday
evening, April 5, 1998. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. You can pick up tickets
there during business hours, and be part of this intimate affair Sunday
evening.  (The $10 ticket proceeds will pay for the sound company etc.) Hope to see
you lounging on one of the couches.

It's a perfect Spring day today in Ohio. I'm going to drive up to Grand
Rapids, Michigan this afternoon for a writer's conference, featuring the likes
of John Updike, Elie Wiesel  and Bruce Cockburn to name a few. I'm
speaking on a panel called, "Musicians as Writers." I've been practicing  waiting for just
the right moment after somebody on the panel has said something profoundly
engaging. I lean into the microphone and say, "I couldn't disagree more."

                                                         Bon Courage,
                                                              Linford