Ted Lyons, who I nicknamed "wild man" Ted, played mandolin with the Messengers several times. His wife Sally Spring has a great voice and plays guitar with him. She has a following and has a moderately sucessful recording career. I played several times with them at their house in Kernersville.
Perhaps I'll remember Ted and Sally best for the concert they didn't play. The Messengers were scheduled to play a major concert in Maryland including two songs a symphony orchestra. After the symphony Paul Red Smith's band was to play then the Messengers would finish the show. At the last minute Ted called and cancelled. I scrambled around to find replacements and luckily Don Bloomgarden, a fiddler from St. Mary's who was playing with us, had some members of his band fill in.
Ted played several shows with us at Prissy Pollies in Kernersville and also at a restaurant in Winston-Salem. Ted is a fantastic player and just a great funny guy. I loved playing with him.