Hello PA Musicians, welcome to the May issue! This month marks my 7th year since taking over the paper. That’s 84 issues of PA Musician under my belt—84 cover stories, 84 editor’s notes, 84 trips around my delivery route, and 84 times I said, “Thank GOD I got that done this month.” Not sure how we do it each month, but we make it happen.
I have an awesome team who keep the wheels spinning. I’d like to thank everyone that helps with the paper—my delivery helpers who distribute month after month: Sterling Koch, Keith Hummel, Eric “Space” Dengler, Daralene Hassinger, Jim Price and his northern team, and many more.
Thanks to all my advertisers, some of whom have been in the paper long before I took it over. Thanks to Dave Moore for heading up the webpage team.
Thanks to my writers—Eric Hoffman, Chris Rider, Jim Price, and Rachel Rocks—without whom we would have nothing to read about. If you see them out covering your show, remember they all have day jobs and make a great sacrifice to come out and support your band, so please thank them often.
Extra special thank you to Rachel, who has been the backbone of the paper for many, many years. She has a new day job, so her time is even more limited lately. Please give her a hug and a special thank you for continuing to support the local live music scene.
Last but certainly not least is Robin Noll, aka MOM. She is an amazing woman who never takes a break and always keeps me on my toes. We got the paper done last month and instantly started moving equipment. Within a week, she had all her stuff neatly in place with over 100 pictures hung around the house and her new office.
It’s been a long couple of months, but hopefully, after this issue, we can start getting back to normal for the year. But I doubt it. There are always challenges in life.
I’d also like to thank all the readers and followers of the magazine, everyone who uses our free classified section, and anyone who sends us a review. It’s the whole community that makes PA Musician Magazine work and why it has lasted over 40 years.
I’ve just been a small part of the legacy the paper leaves. This is not the internet, where countless posts get lost in the jumble each day and passing minute. This is print—and it provides a history of what the local scene has done. Years after your hard drive crashes or your internet melts down, issues of PA Musician Magazine—with bands like Halestorm, Kix, Emily’s Toybox, The Sharks, Live, The Inciters, Hank the Buffalo, Katz 22, Stonewood, and maybe even your band—will still be floating around this thing we call Earth.
It’s about telling our story and keeping the music alive. —Wow, getting a little deep.If you’d like to be part of history, please give me a call or send a text: 717-636-4203, or email: joshnoll@pamusician.net.
And please—get out and see a show. Lots to do this month! Just look through the pages, and you can pretty much plan your whole month. Until the 85th time, Pennsylvania.