January 2003

From:  rplana@uvigo.es (Plana Gonzalez-Sierra; Ramon)
To: nightanswers@aol.com

Hi Candice,
    It has been a real surprise in my last visit to Blackmore's Night webpage to see that you have your own webpage. And it was a sweeter thing discover that you really want to have contact with people who listen your music. Ritchie  and you gave me very nice moments with your talent, so I thought that is time to tell you thanks. I discovered Blackmore's Night with your first album "Shadow of the Moon". My friends and me used to attend to a pub named "Camelot" decorated in a middle age style. Swords, shields, old books, helmets, tapestries, a fire place, Excalibur in the rock, and a wonderful paint covering completely one of the walls showing knights on horses at the dawning time. One of the waitress there becomes a good friend of me, and sometimes I used to go there only to visit her and talk for a while. One day she showed me your first cd and tolds me: "Listen to it, you would like it. It's completely different to any others things you have listen before.". She knews I like folk music and the now called "celtic music". I did what she said and I felt in love with Blackmore's night. That was in 1999 and I ever was thankful to her for that present.
    I played that album all this time when I wanted to be in a relaxed mood, or when I only wanted to sit and let my mind and thoughts fly free. The mixed of the rythms from the past, the modern touchs, the magic of your voice, and the feeling that you really love what it is in the album,..., that combination flows in the air when I played it.
    I use to go to walk on the mountains, deep forests and dark valleys. In those trips when I find a special place, one of those where you feel a different viberation, that says something special to your spirit, I can sit there to enjoy the view and the feelings that the place gives me for hours. And when I'm back home and want to come back to those places with my mind your music make it really easy.
    I love to travel around the world. As the song says I was born under a w andering star. And I have friends in every continent that I love to go to visit from time to time. But guess what??... I couldn't find more music from Blackmore's night. It was amazing Candice, but the record shops I visited and the great stores didn't have Blackmore's Night. Fortunately the internet solved the problem. I discovered your webpage and there I knew that you have two more albums, so i could order them. And now I'm a happy
man..lol.
          I didn't told you yet that my name is Ramón and I'm from Spain, from the Northwest coast. A region named Galicia, who has a strong celtic heritage. Ours is an old land, with old mountains covered by a green cloak of forests and bushes. Gifted by the touch of the atlantic ocean this land was named by the romans "the end of the earth" because it is the western area of Europe. I tell you all this things because I have seen in Blackmore's night's webpage that like to celebrate your concerts in special places, with lots of history and meaning. So I thought "how can it be possible that you didn't played in Galicia?". We have lots of old castles, marvelous monasteries from the X and XII century hide in the woods, old churches on the hills or at the seaside, magic forests with celtic ruins,... I swear you Candice. When you begin to work in your next tour please take a moment to think about Galicia and you wouldn't be dissapointed.  And you can be sure that if I'm not in one of my trips I'll be there singing and dancing with you. And if it's not in my land I'm sure that someday, somehow, someplace.... I'll be in one of your concerts. I'm not going to lose that chance. Thanks for share the magical gift of your voice with us, and thanks to Ritchie for his courage to create this wonderful group and his talent for the music. Now I'm expecting your new live album... aaah.. you don't know how hard is to wait..lol.
     All my wishes of good luck and happiness for you sweet spirit. Be happy and see you someday. Till that moment comes, see you later. Best wishes,
Ramón Plana

Dear Ramon,
Thank you for your wonderful words. You have the soul of a dreamer, take care of your poet's heart in this world it is often difficult... It is a gift to feel too much, even though it is hard some times. Breathe in all that is around you- the heights of elation that you are capable of feeling can not be measured. We have mentioned to our agent to please work on dates in  Spain for 2003. The region you mention sounds incredible and I hope to be able to see it's amazing sights with my own eyes. I wish that the promoters in Spain were more open minded to our music, perhaps this year they will be. Let the music ring out and echo through the forests and may joy carry you through
2003- Happy New Year!
With love,
Candice

From:   maasp@xs4all.nl (Mark van Asperen)
To: nightanswers@aol.com

Hello  (and good bye in the blink off an eye) ,
Do you really personally answer all these e-mail letters ? Welllll..... I can't stop my head from spinning around in this world my emotions explode like fire crackers . Emotions are very contagious aren't they ??  Well,  anyway mine are.


Hello Mark,
Yes, I do! I think we all feel that way in this world sometimes.  I hope that those exploding emotions you mention are positive ones. Perhaps you need to paint, dance, write or sing aloud. Sometimes you just have to remind yourself to just be...  I wish you calmness of spirit , a creative outlet and all the best for 2003.
Love,
Candice

From:   jenicholson777@cox.net (jenicholson777)
To: nightanswers@aol.com

Dear Candice,
My name is Kalan Smith. I'm 10 years old and go to Jenks East Intermediate. I love your music! I have all your CD's! My friend and I are going to sing "Fires at Midnight", "Shadow of the Moon", and "Under a Violet Moon" for a talent show this month. Will you ever come to the Renaissance Faire in Muskogee, Oklahoma? (I know, stupid question, but I need to know.) I go there every year. I got into your music when I went there once and they were handing out sample tapes of your music. I loved it and bought all the albums.
I don't know what else to say, except good luck with the music.
Hope you reply!
Kalan

Hello Kalan,
What wonderful news! I wish you the best of luck in your talent show, I hope that the songs bring you luck! That isn't a stupid question, Ritchie and I try to get to as many Renaissance Faires as we can each yesr when we are not touring or in the studio. We have attended the Largo  and Deerfield Beach Faires in Florida, Arizona Faire, King Richard's Faire in Mass., upstate New York, New Jersey and Lancaster Pennsylvania Faires as well as the Sands Point and Huntington Faires on Long Island. We haven't yet been to the Oklahoma Faire, but I have seen it advertised in Renaissance Faire magazine which we subscribe to. I didn't even know that they were handing out our tapes there, thanks for letting us know.  Now we'll have to come check it out! Perhaps next year if we're in the states while the faire is on...we'll see you there...Thanks for loving our music- it means a lot...Best wishes for 2003!
Love,
Candice

From:   club@ucbclub.org (Club)
To: nightanswers@aol.com

Dear Lass,
     I´ve just heard your album ( that dates me ) and it´s great, can't stop playing it. I saw the piece on cnn and have looked for it ever since, but thought that the chance of getting it here in spain was nil .Thank the gods I was wrong if I can get any follow up discs I will.So nice to hear a different approach to music that didn´t sound twee or pretentious, so often it´s embarrassing to moving . Wish I could see the band but you are unlikely to tour spain and I´m too old and too broke to travle far these days, polio takes it´s tole it seems, ho hum.. A pretty girl and a beatiful voice ,can one desire more?
      Keep working with Ritchie, he's difficult but he's very, very  special, so keep at it your creating magic, and that only happens once in a life time. Enjoy life, we're here only once,  Barry R. Taylor


Dear Barry,
Hope you are feeling well, dear. Keep your fingers crossed, mountains may move and the band may be in Spain in 2003. Let's keep hoping and see what happens. Thank you for your sweet words. So glad you were able to find the album, some countries are more difficult than others record company-wise... And, yes, I agree- it does only happen once in a life time. May you create magic yourself... I wish you happiness and health for 2003 and all the years to come.
Love,
Candice