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I just wanted to drop a quick note of thanks to this forum. A few weeks ago, I watched the video for the movie of My Own Private Idaho, and what immediately occurred to me was how great the soundtrack was. I knew I
didn't have it in my vast music collection, and a quick search of the Web let me know that a soundtrack for the movie didn't exist. So, I went back to the closing credits and noted that someone named Bill Stafford was responsible for this music.

This sent me back to Google searches on the web, where I came upon this website, and mention of Bill Stafford. Almost imediately, I noticed that someone on the forum had provided an email address for Mr. Stafford. So, I figured, let's get it straight from the horse's mouth, if that really is his email address.

I sent an email explaining my situation and asking if there was any way I could get a copy of that music. Weeks passed, and I figured that this was a waste of time. But after three weeks, I got an email from Bill, checking in from Gulfport, Mississippi. He had been sidetracked by the awful
hurricane season that blew through the Gulf Coast this fall, and it was only now that he could answer some emails.

He told me that yes, he was responsible for that music, and yes, he had a CD that had a few of the tracks that appeared in that movie. He offered to send me a copy if I provided a mailing address, and if I liked it, I could send him a check for $15; if I didn't, simply send the CD back.

That's my kind of deal. The CD, Going Home, arrived in the mail within a week, and I put it on the night it came, watching the baseball playoffs with the sound turned off while the CD played. Needless to say, I was deeply impressed by Bill's talents -- particularly on his version of “America the
Beautiful. I've been listening to country music with steel guitars for years, but this was the first time I sat down and listened to an entire album of nothing but solo steel guitar music, and it's a strange experience,
both calming and disorienting at times. It's like nothing I've heard before -- in a good way.

I wrote Bill back the next day, asking if he had more CDs, and sure enough, he has two more, so I immediately ran out and got a money order in the amount of $45 to pay for all three discs. I've yet to hear the other two, but I'm certain they;ll be as intriguing and well-performed as Going Home.

So, it's been an odd experience for me, to watch an old movie, enjoy the music in it, have my curiosity piqued, do some research and end up not just finding the music I was looking for, but the musician who created it. And it’s been a pleasure dealing with him, as Bill Stafford seems like a
stand-up individual with a good heart. You can listen to his playing on "America the Beautiful" and hear something wonderfully open about our country -- and you can feel the same when you deal with the man personally.

Again, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Bill Repsher
New York City

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