April 17, 2008 Welcome to ONLINE NEWS Scroll down to view the stories In Remembrance of John Sanders It is with great sadness that I tell you of the passing of John Sanders, ABS member, former ABS board member, and my friend. John passed away in the early hours of Monday morning. He’d been in the VA Nursing Home and began to fail on Friday. His children had all come in to town and he was surrounded by them and, of course, his wife Rheta. Rheta and family, please know that you have our deepest sympathy. John lived a long and oh so interesting life. A career Navy man, he saw that career cut short by rheumatoid arthritis. My favorite story of John’s was how gin soaked golden raisins cured his arthritis! It did – there was no sign of it! He went on to become an artist and to travel the world. His son follows in his footsteps in art and has commissions for paintings and sculptures in many countries; John was very proud! Many of John’s stories told of all the blues artists he’d seen at their height, not only in the blues meccas of Memphis and Chicago, but in obscure little clubs from Harlem to remote corners of Europe. It was our great fortunes to have John tell those stories at our “Talkin’ the Blues” series at Blind Willie’s. In all, it was my great fortune to have known him. Sean Costello, 28 of Atlanta died Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Sean Costello, 28 of Atlanta died Tuesday, April 15, 2008. Services will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta, Georgia with Monsignor Henry Gracz officiating. Burial will be at Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta. Sean was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the BMI Music Association and the Americana Roots Music Association. Mr. Costello played on a gold record, "Just Won't Burn;" nominated for the W.C. Handy Award; nominated one of Georgia's Guitar Heroes; won the Beale Street Blues Society Award; the Best New Blues Act at the France Blues Festival in 2003. He attended North Atlanta School for Performing Arts and just released his fifth CD. Survivors include his parents, Michael John Costel lo of Philadelphia, PA; Deborah Ann Smith of Marietta; step-father, Glenn Smith of Marietta; sister, Bridget Costello of London, England; step-sisters, Allison Dellamaggiora of Atlanta; Lauren Arno of Atco, NJ; grandparents, Antoinette Kurz of Marietta; Rita Costello of Philadelphia, PA; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Contributions maybe made to Sean Costello Memorial Fund to benefit Bi-Polar Disease at BB&T 3620 Tramore Pointe Parkway, Austell, Georgia 30106. E-mail Toby Ray at tray@bbandt.com. The family will receive friends from 6:00-9:00 p.m. on Friday at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home & Crematory in Marietta, Georgia. Support your local blues clubs and artists and help keep the blues alive!