Editorial

A recent e-mail prompts this month's editorial, because the correspondent posed a query that's often received here.

The e-mail was from the daughter of a very dear charter subscriber. She has been printing the online RAG for her father since the RAG went online but was concerned about past issues, writing, "My father has every issue of The Mississippi Rag since the very first issue was published up until the web versions were issued. [He] loves reading the magazine and has gotten so much joy out of the magazine. Jazz is his passion. He has stored every publication in plastic containers for all these many years. My father is now 87 years old and is concerned [about] what he should do with all these Mississippi Rags. Do you have any idea who would enjoy having every issue published of The Mississippi Rag? He hates the thought of throwing them away and was hoping to find a new home for every issue of his favorite magazine, The Mississippi Rag."

Amazingly enough, we've found that many of our subscribers have kept every single issue of the RAG since their subscriptions started. Many are charter subscribers with collections going back to our original RAG (November 1973). It is a tremendous compliment to hear that the RAG has been so treasured, and we appreciate not just that the issues have been kept but also that our subscribers want to share their collections with others now that they are downsizing their belongings.

Our response to the query was the same as that given to others sending similar e-mails and letters. We suggested donating the collection to a local library, a college music library, a music school library, or an assisted living center or nursing home where residents probably danced to the music covered in the RAG. Nearly all the queries we've received mention donating the RAGs, but a few subscribers have asked about selling their collections. In those cases, we've suggested using e-Bay or a similar auction site, or subscribers can advertise in the RAG's classified section for minimal cost. (We have back issues available for purchase through our website, but we aren't interested in buying any issues ourselves. We are out of many of the early issues, however, so subscribers may find a market for those elsewhere.)

All this tender care given to past RAGs by subscribers reminds me of why I keep publishing the RAG. It's because I've had the greatest subscribers in the world -- people who love and support the music and who treasure its history. Thanks so much for your devotion to this publication.

Sincerely,

Editor/Publisher

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Editorial