Jerry holland

[Dagger Gordon]

I'm sure many of you are fans of Cape Breton fiddler Jerry Holland. This article was posted on a Scottish web-site this morning.
It appears he has bone cancer and is expected to have a leg removed. To worsen his situation, he won't be able to perform at what is his most lucrative time of year.
I am a great fan of his playing, and am very sad to hear this news. I wish him all the best.

http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=83665

[danb]

Ugh, bad news. One of his cuts inspired a track on my CD, and I've always enjoyed seeing him live!

Looks like they are putting together a fund for him.

[Adrian W.]

That's terrible news....he's a gentleman. Also, as far as I know, he's always worked as a carpenter as well as music since he moved to Cape Breton, and that will be difficult with a leg gone. Sorry for his troubles.

[Seth Austen]

That's bad news! I heard Jerry play live when we visited Cape Breton a few years ago, and also attended a fiddle workshop he gave in MA. I'm donating to the fund and wishing him recuperation and future good health!

Seth

[steve V. johnson]

The following was posted to a Celtic Traditional Yahoo group about Jerry Holland's situation and it includes some ways for fans/friends/well-wishers to respond.

stv

=============================

Posted by: "Victor Maurice Faubert" vicmf@concentric.net vmfaubert
# Date: Mon May 21, 2007 7:55 am ((PDT))

The following message is from Beth Telford:

------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear friends,

I'm passing along this message from Jerry. #I am planning a series of
fund-raising concerts and events, because he will undoubtedly be losing
some work, although we all have our fingers crossed about his summer.
You can also at any time send a check made out to him, and mail to me,
Beth Telford, at 1060 Bent Hill Rd, Braintree, VT 05060. #He has a local
account where I can make deposits for him. #Musicians, please email or
call me if you're willing to help. #As you all know, Jerry is not only a
great musician but one of the finest friends a person could ever have.
Please keep him in your hearts. #He's the last person who would ask for
help, but he needs it, and that's what friends are for.

Thanks, everyone,
Beth

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The following message, which Beth Telford referenced in her message
above, is from Jerry Holland:

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Hi Folks,

I hope all is well and happy.

I've some bad news if you haven't heard already. It looks like I have
bone cancer and the talk is, that they will be taking my leg. I go into
Halifax on Tuesday coming and they'll do a biopsy and I think they have
Friday booked for taking my leg. I hope to find out that it's no where
else in my body. I wouldn't have been surprised if they first told me
that I had lung cancer, but this first?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif They told me that they think
that this is the only spot. Bone scan says this and a full chest
scan/ex-ray I think they called it a CT Scan. Blood tests, he said
looked ok?? They did an MRI and a CAT scan and the Doctor in Halifax has
that info. I haven't heard what those test results are. I'll know I
guess on Tuesday. It will help in giving me some idea what gigs I'll
have to cancel. I don't want to cancel any if I don't have to, as these
3 months is where I make my years income.

I'm sorry for dumping this on you folks, I thought you should know when
I had some clear info. Thank you very much for your loyal support.

Please say a little pray for me.

My best wishes to all

Jerry

------------------------------------------------------------------------


This operation and the follow-on treatment that will ensue could not
have come at a worse time for him, since this is the start of the most
active musical season on Cape Breton Island and one in which he hoped to
be able to earn the money he needs to keep going. So, I invite those of
you who, like myself, have been touched over the years—whether by his
effective teaching, caring friendship, and deep love of the music, by
the warmth and joy and purity of his incredible playing, or by his many
enduring beautiful compositions—to do what you can to help him through
his time of trouble.

As Beth explained in her message, contributions from the U.S. should be
sent via check payable to Jerry Holland and mailed to
# Beth Telford
# 1060 Bent Hill Road
# Braintree, Vermont 05060
Beth can be reached by phone at +1 (802) 728-6351 and via e-mail at
<lukeydog@innevi.com>.

Contributions from Canada should be sent via check payable to Jerry
Holland and mailed to
# Jerry Holland
# 367 Johnson Road
# Georges River, Nova Scotia
# Canada B1Y 3C1

Greetings and expressions of encouragement to Jerry as he works through
this ordeal should be sent to him at the address just above.

We are in the process of getting a web site set up; the URL will be
# <http://www.jerryhollandfund.org>
and, in order to avoid any hosting costs, it will currently redirect to
a page on my web site. #Since it takes a while for new domain names to
propagate throughout the internet, if you have any trouble reaching that
site, use the URL
# <http://homepage.mac.com/vicmf/jerryhollandfund/>
instead, which is where the other URL will take you.

News of the fund-raising concerts and events that Beth is planning for
Vermont and those others may organize elsewhere will be posted on this
web page as details are finalized or as we learn of them.

As Beth said, please keep Jerry in your hearts, make other friends and
fans aware of his plight, and do what you can to help. #Thank you all so
much.

--
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Vic

Victor Maurice Faubert
549 Frank Applegate Road
Jackson, New Jersey 08527-4222
+1 732.928.5607
vicmf@concentric.net
<http://homepage.mac.com/vicmf/>

[Ira Chavis]

Ugh, i wish Jerry the best, he wrote one of my favorite tunes, My Cape Breton home.