[The Rez]

The fascination with Stephen Foster's music has not been lost on three gentlemen
I hold dear: Gord, John Stewart, and Mickey Newbury.

Of the three, the most outspoken in his admiration was Mickey Newbury. On his masterful "Lulled by the Moonlight" he begins with "Three Bells for Stephen"
and ends with a haunting partial reprise. The song is written intentionally to sound 150yrs old - as if it could have come from Foster's pen.

The album title, of course, comes from Stephen Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer"
The cover art is a painting of a young lady of the era with "light brown hair" and wistful beauty.

I don't know if Gord and Mickey ever got to know one another and share their
"touch of Stephen" . . . but, it's warm to envision.

A few years back a group of folks performed a tribute album to Stephen Foster. Entitled "Beautiful Dreamer," it includes Ron Sexsmith, Raul Malo, Alison Krauss,
and others who do both homage and honor.

I do believe I'll lay me down now and listen to Your Loves Return . . . and dream.

Rez