Given the advancing years of many of us here, it just can't be much of a surprise when one of us shuffles off our "mortal coil", but that never lessens either the shock or the sorrow.

Word appeared on Facebook today - courtesy of Sue Keller, I believe - that Tony Lay passed away on March 11.

Tony was a major factor in my internet experience of KT matters going back probably to the 1990s, and he was one of the first people I met at Fantasy Camp more than 20 years ago. He was a thorough gentleman in every sense of the word - but more than that, he was just an all-around great guy, exactly the kind of man that you'd want to be a KT fan to share your love of the music with.

For those of us who survive Tony, we know this won't be the last such loss we suffer, but it's hard for me to imagine a more affecting one. Blessings on his name and memory.