The staff notes with sadness the passing of Janet Boyer, the co-founder of Focal Point, who died Friday, July 25th, at the age of 80.

Janet was born into a musical family; her grandfather, George Sullivan, was a fiddler and song collector, and her brother, Bob "Fiddler" Beers, was a performer and founder of the Fox Hollow Folk Festival. She came to Kirkwood during the Depression, and married Jonas W. "Bill" Boyer, who shared her love of music and tradition. They performed as a family band with their children, Susan, Becky, Joe and John; Janet played the banjo and the cello (she was also a member of the St. Louis Philharmonic), and sang in a strong alto voice. The Boyers also co-founded the St. Louis Folk Music Society, which held musical gatherings and gave house concerts, and were active in the revival of shape-note singing.

In 1973, Bill Boyer had a heart attack, and was told by his doctors that he could no longer work as an HVAC installer. Together, Bill and Janet decided to pursue their long-held dream of opening a store devoted to traditional music and instruments; while Bill was still in the hospital, Janet and the kids opened and furnished Music Folk, which remains an important musical center in St. Louis. The following year, they bought the building, and — with friends — opened the second half of their dream, a performance venue devoted to folk music, an all-ages facility where the music would take center stage. That venue, Focal Point, opened its doors in 1975.

Throughout her life, Janet Boyer encouraged and supported many, many musicians, amateur and professional. (I know I'm not alone when I say that, without Janet's support when I was just learning, I wouldn't be playing music today.) She left a legacy of two enduring institutions, Music Folk and Focal Point; an even greater legacy may be found in the people whose lives she touched and enriched. We'll miss her.

Peace, Paul Stamler (for the FP staff)