Some sad news to end the week with: Americana UK loses two of our best, Paul Kerr and Martin Johnson

We’re sorry to end this week with some sad news for regular readers which some of you will know already via social media. It’s been a very tough last few days for us as a team here at Americana UK as we lost not one but two of our longstanding writers and editors – Firstly, Martin Johnson, AUK’s amazingly productive Interviews Editor since 2020 pictured on the left above who died on Thursday last week. And then we had the news yesterday of the loss of our beloved Live Reviews Editor Paul Kerr who is basically the longest-serving writer AUK has ever had, just the absolute heart of the website for as long as we’ve existed. You’re bound to say all the usual stuff when someone passes I know but over the years I came to understand that they were two of the most decent human-beings you’re ever likely to meet and between them wrote well in excess of 1,000 different pieces for the site.

We’ll be posting full tributes to both in days to come – please bear with us while we arrange our thoughts. On a personal basis I’ll miss them both hugely and with my editor’s hat on, AUK will without a doubt be a poorer place without them. I asked my colleague Paul Villers for a song which might fit this piece and he suggested something by Giant Sand, one of Paul’s favourite bands. Take care everyone and see you on Monday.