Post date: Mar 17, 2019 3:44:14 PM

From: The Troubadour <mike.agranoff@folkproject.org>

Sent: Friday, May 10, 2019 11:20 AM

To: fullboard@folkproject.org

Subject: Reactions to the name change announcement.

Looks like we did the right thing. With one exception, the responses to the name change have all been positive. Here’s the compilation so far.

• Congratulations! Love the new name. -- Donna Gaffney

• Awesome! -- Dan Gerdes

• Well done! I had long thought it was an unfortunate choice but knowing the people involved and how long the Minstrel has been around I felt comfortable in the knowledge it was nothing more than that. For those not familiar I can easily see it as offputting. I commend your sensitivity to jump through all the hoops involved in renaming the series – Perry Stein

• I think this is a great change. Thank you for doing this. – Judith Miller

• Well written. I will have to practice spelling Troubadour. – Nancy Kelner

• Thank you for doing this. I'm a new member of the group, didn't want to make waves, but this did bother me, so I'm really happy that you are making this change. – Vicki Schwartz

• This is good Mike. I think it is the right amount of straight-shooting explanation. – Bob McNally

• Thank you for being proactive and dealing with this issue before it became a problem. I’m proud to be a member of this organization. – Rob Reyes

• Well said and well done, Mike. I'm fine with this. Thanks for your service. -- Ted Coletti

• nice work! – Jill Maxi

• Good call... I never connected the later use of Minstrel either, but I applaud your decision and think Troubadour is the perfect replacement! – MaryEllen Foulds

• I am proud to be part of this organization and your self reflection. Well done!! – Debbie Durand

• Well done, Mike! You provided the right amount of information, including about our own original motivations, and you answered possible criticisms. – Lindsey Meyer

• Unbelievable. I guess we should all stop watching "Holiday Inn" at Christmas time too. I did not expect this from a folk organization. If I were you, I'd hire someone to THOROUGHLY research the term "Troubadour". I'm sure somewhere in the past someone must have been offended by the term. This is so sad and all the music in the world isn't going to change the fact that this country is going straight into the toilet. What's next? You going to start supporting Donald Trump? I have to go now. I have to go destroy my copy of Jethro Tull's "Minstrel in the Gallery" because it really offends me! Good luck and enjoy your day. – Tom Lombardi

• I guess now you will have to send Troubadour-Grams! Joanne Summer

• I concur wholeheartedly with this decision, for precisely the reasons stated in the below email. As an occasional attendee of Friday evening performances (I live about an hour away and it is not always easy for me to get to Morristown after work and the commute home), I understand and respect what the organization stands for, and find it unfortunate that what was once an innocuous name has taken on a different connotation. – Jay Jaffe

Mike Agranoff

Program Chair

The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series

Morristown, NJ. USA

www.Troubadour.FolkProject.org