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This is the final Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast episode. Thanks to David Massengill for taking us out with On The Road to Fairfax County.
Length 6 min. |
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In this episode we’re playing originals composed and performed on the mountain dulcimer by the artists themselves. You’ll be hearing music from dulcimer players Gary Gallier, Leo Kretzner, Mary Giger, Aubrey Atwater, Neal Walters, Christine Shoemaker, Holly Tannen, and Ken Bloom.
Length 21 min. |
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In this episode we’re featuring our conversation with Ashley Ernst, the owner and publisher of Dulcimer Players News. DPN has been the quarterly magazine for mountain and hammered dulcimer players since 1975. With music from both hammered and mountain dulcimer musicians. Guests: Length 32 min. |
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We spoke with people born and raised in New York City in the 1950s and 60s who have become well-known dulcimer players. With Joellen Lapidus, Holly Tannen, Doug Berch, and Rob Brereton. Guests: Length 45 min. |
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In this episode we’re exploring Early Music on the mountain dulcimer. Although the mountain dulcimer didn’t exist until centuries after the Early Music time frame, its tonality fits perfectly with the temperament of Early Music. With music from Howie Mitchell, Holly Tannen, and Jessica Comeau. Guests: Length 34 min. |
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Special announcement from Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast. Length 3 min.
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We spoke with the talented young dulcimer player Grant Olson from Minnesota. In 2019 at the age of 17, Grant won the coveted first place in the Mountain Dulcimer National Championship at the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas. In addition to playing the dulcimer, Grant also composes his own music. Guest: Length 26 min. |
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In this episode we feature the stories and music of Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly, a husband and wife musical duo based in Warren, Rhode Island. They’re well known for their blend of gorgeous vocals as well as being multi-instrumentalists. The amazing array of instruments they play include old-time banjo, tin whistle, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, limberjacks, feet, and of course, mountain dulcimer. Guests: Length 52 min. |
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In this episode we feature our conversation with Jim and Betty Woods, longtime owners of the renowned McSpadden Dulcimers. Over the last two decades Jim and Betty were able to maintain and raise the reputation of McSpadden Dulcimers. In 2020, Jim and Betty transferred ownership of McSpadden Dulcimers. Guests: Length 44 min. |
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Here’s another stay home and play dulcimer episode created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aubrey Atwater shares tips on how to improve singing and singing with the dulcimer. Guest: Length 17 min. |
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This is another episode created especially for dulcimer players. We spoke with Heidi Muller and Bob Webb, who shared tips and ideas for using time at home to improve your dulcimer playing. Guests: Length 17 min. |
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This episode was especially created for dulcimer players. We spoke with Stephen Seifert, one of the top dulcimer performers and teachers in the mountain dulcimer world. Steve gives tips and ideas for what dulcimer players can do to help improve their playing while they’re staying at home. Guest: Length 22 min. |
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We spoke with Neal and Coleen Walters, a husband and wife musical duo who have been playing music together for more than 5 decades. Neal is well-known for his deep voice and his dulcimer and autoharp playing. Also featuring music from The Mill Run Dulcimer Band and Doofus. Guests: Length 36 min. |
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We spoke with 2008 National Dulcimer Champion Nina Zanetti about her approach in playing the dulcimer. Nina’s known for her gentle style of fingerpicking the dulcimer. Guest: Length 31 min. |
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The gentle sound of the dulcimer lends itself to lullabies. They ease us into the day and calm us down at night. Lullabies give comfort to the inner child in all of us, no matter how old or young we are. In this episode you’ll hear lullabies played by dulcimer players David Schnaufer, Molly McCormack, Neal Walters, Aubrey Atwater, Dusty Turtle, Jessica Comeau, Stephen Seifert, Carol Walker, Kevin Roth, Lorinda Jones, and Duane Porterfield. With commentary by lullabologist Julia Soto Lebentritt. Guest: Length 30 min. |
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We’re focusing this episode on music for children on the mountain dulcimer. You’ll hear traditional and original songs, songs about whimsical instruments, animal adventures, and songs about people and places. With music from dulcimer players Heidi Muller, Bob Webb, Molly McCormack, Kevin Roth, Aubrey Atwater, Joellen Lapidus, Rick Scott, and John Elwood. Length 19 min. |
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Meet Bonnie Carol and Max Krimmel, multi-instrumentalists and the builders of the well-known and loved Bonnie Carol Dulcimers. Guests: Length 35 min. |
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We spoke with dulcimer players Lorinda Jones, a professional music therapist, Sally Smith, a hospice music volunteer, and Marian Perdas and Carollyn Robinson, music volunteers for memory care about how they use the mountain dulcimer to help those in need. Guests: Length 37 min. |
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In this episode we feature the Oregon-based composer and conductor Mark Steighner who has written two concertos for the mountain dulcimer. We’re also featuring Stephen Seifert, who performed both of Mark’s concertos as the dulcimer soloist. Guests: Length 34 min. |
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With music from all over the globe, celebrate the season with wintry seasonal dulcimer music from Butch Ross, Lorraine Hammond, Jessica Comeau, Don Pedi, Tull Glazener, Madeline MacNeil, Nina Zanetti, Aubrey Atwater, and Christine Shoemaker. Length 22 min. |
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Winter’s Turning, My Barista, and Sacred Ground. What do they have in common? They were all written by singer songwriter and dulcimer player Heidi Muller. Heidi and her life partner Bob Webb tell us the stories behind each of these three tunes. Guests: Length 29 min. |
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The 1964 LP Golden Ring: A Gathering of Friends for Making Music became one of the most popular recordings of the early folk music revival. In this episode, find out why Golden Ring was a groundbreaking album for the mountain dulcimer. Guests: Length 49 min. |
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Stephen Seifert is one of the most accomplished dulcimer performers today. Possessing an impeccable command of the instrument, he’s a favorite at festivals and clubs around the country and has performed as a soloist on his mountain dulcimer with symphony orchestras. Guest: Length 32 min. |
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Guest: Length 49 min. |
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Guests: Length 55 min. |
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Length 29 min. |
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In this episode, we present the stories and music of Howie Mitchell. An innovator of dulcimer building and playing in the 1950s and 60s, Howie is credited with spreading the idea of the 6 and half fret, the DAD Mixolydian tuning, and the chord melody style of playing dulcimer starting in the late 1950s. All three of these ideas caught on in the dulcimer world and for many players is the standard way of playing dulcimer. Guests: Length 56 min. |
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Celebrate the winter season with wintry seasonal music by dulcimer players Christine Shoemaker, Stephen Seifert, John and Karen Keane, Wendy Songe, Jessica Comeau, Holly Tannen, and Heidi Muller and Bob Webb. Length 20 min. |
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We spoke with Richard Ash from Folkcraft Instruments about the dulcimers his company has built since 1968. With music played on Folkcraft dulcimers from Bing Futch, Stephen Seifert, John and Karen Keane, and Wendy Songe. Guest: Length 30 min. |
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In this episode we feature dulcimer player Wendy Songe who is an award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet, performer, teacher, and nationally touring musician. Guest: Length 30 min. |
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We spoke with legendary award-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins about her good friend Richard Fariña. We also explored the importance of Judy Collins’ Fifth Album in introducing the dulcimer in the mid-1960s. With additional commentary by Neal Hellman and readings from Richard Fariña’s cousin Omar Lugones. Guests: Length 30 min. |
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Dulcimer Week in the Wallowas is an annual adult music camp held over the July 4th week and is devoted to learning the mountain dulcimer. This camp has become one of the most popular dulcimer events in the Northwest, with nationally known instructors teaching all levels of students. Guests: Length 53 min. |
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From the Balkans to Scandinavia to the UK and the US, Mark Gilston, the first place winner of the 2016 National Mountain Dulcimer Championship, tells us stories behind the tunes he plays. Guest: Length 30 min. |
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We feature the music and our conversation with Aaron O’Rourke, one of today’s most innovative dulcimer players and composers. At the age of 31, Aaron has already produced an amazing amount of work in solo and ensemble recording and instruction. Guest: Length 51 min. |
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For this Mother’s Day, we’d like to celebrate all mothers who play dulcimer. We especially appreciate the dulcimer mothers who teach dulcimer to their children and to others. To honor all dulcimer mothers, we’re presenting the heartwarming story of a special dulcimer mother: Margaret Wright and her daughter Cassandra Damper. Guests: Length 36 min. |
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Ed Freeman was part of the Cambridge folk music scene in the early 60s and interviewed Richard and Mimi Fariña on his radio show in 1965. We spoke with Ed about this and much more. Guest: Length 34 min. |
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The well-known luthier Rick Turner shares personal stories about Richard and Mimi Fariña and how his luthier skills led him to become part of dulcimer history that was almost forgotten. Guest: Length 37 min. |
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With the unusual combination of two American and one Chinese instrument, the trio AppalAsia bridge the Appalachian and Chinese music traditions to create music that is soulful, sophisticated, and genre bending. Guests: Length 35 min. |
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From a contemporary jazz folk original to holiday staples and medieval music, we present tunes that are joyous, reflective, and capture the essence of winter. With music by Linda Brockinton, Heidi Muller and Bob Webb, Lance Frodsham, Jack and Mary Giger, Mark Gilston, Jessica Comeau, Bing Futch, and AppalAsia. Length 30 min. |
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One of the best places to hear new talent in the mountain dulcimer world is at the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship. This annual event takes place at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. We spoke with 2016 winners Mark Gilston, Cassandra Damper, and Wendy Songe, as well as Jim Woods from McSpadden Dulcimers. Guests: Length 29 min. Episode Resources |
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Singapore seems to have only one performing mountain dulcimer player. He’s a 24 year old busker named Ivan Ng Sheng Kai. Hear what it’s like to be the lone dulcimer performer in Singapore, and the extraordinary measures he’s had to take to find and learn how to play it. Guest: Length 17 min. |
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This episode features stories told by Neal Hellman about celebrities who encountered the dulcimer at the Renaissance Faire. Guest: Length 17 min. |
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On the surface, it seems that the mountain dulcimer is not an instrument created for playing the Blues. The impression of the dulcimer’s sweet simple sound seems that it would be too gentle to express the raw feelings evoked with the Blues. Additionally, the dulcimer’s diatonic fret pattern often doesn’t have the notes that are in the pentatonic Blues scale. Needless to say, it takes creativity and persistence to play the Blues on the dulcimer. Guests: Length 28 min. |
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Steve Eulberg is a multi-instrumentalist who plays and sings traditional songs and fiddle tunes; weaving together Celtic, Old-Time, blues, and jazz on both the mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. He runs the website Dulcimer Crossing, which provides hundreds of online video dulcimer lessons by several known dulcimer teachers. Guest: Length 28 min. |
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Neal Hellman has played the mountain dulcimer for more than 40 years and is the founder, director, and one of the primary artists on the Gourd Music record label. Gourd Music recordings are known for lush arrangements often pairing the dulcimer with folk and classical instruments. With music by Gourd Music artists. Guest: Length 37 min. |
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Linda Brockinton is known for playing a full chord fingerpicking style on the mountain dulcimer. In 2001, she was the first woman to win first place in the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship as well as the first to win playing a full chord fingerpicking style. Guest: Length 27 min. |
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The second in the two part celebration of Judy Klinkhammer’s life. She was a well-loved dulcimer player and teacher who lived in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. Many people credit Judy for introducing the dulcimer to that part of Arkansas in the early 60s. She truly lived with the dulcimer in the center of her life. Guests: Length 38 min. Episode Resources |
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The first of a two part celebration of Judy Klinkhammer’s life. She was a well-loved dulcimer player and teacher who lived in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. Many people credit Judy for introducing the dulcimer to that part of Arkansas in the early 60s. She truly lived with the dulcimer in the center of her life. Guests: Length 28 min. |
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Howard Rugg is the master luthier behind the well-known CapriTaurus and early Folk Roots Dulcimers. The thousands of dulcimers built in his workshop are being played all over the world by amateur to accomplished musicians. Howard has recently started making dulcimers again under the name CapriTaurus. With commentary by Lance Frodsham and Laura Devine Burnett. All the music in this episode was played on dulcimers created in Howard’s workshop. Guest: Length 32 min. |
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Singer and multi-instrumentalist Bing Futch has embraced the mountain dulcimer as his first and foremost instrument. Known for touring around the US in his RV, Bing plays many diverse styles from traditional folk to rock to original compositions to the blues -- all on the dulcimer. Guest: Length 22 min. |
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Holly Tannen is a singer, songwriter, and dulcimer player who lives on the edge of a primeval forest in Mendocino, California. Holly is known for writing contemporary folk songs about personal stories and current events using the melodic and lyrical structure of Appalachian and British Isles folk tunes. Guest: Length 33 min. |
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Erin Mae is a young, innovative mountain dulcimer performer and teacher from Kansas who gives old time music a fresh spin on her chromatic dulcimer. Guests: Length 33 min. |
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Dulcimer player, storyteller, actor, and singer songwriter Rick Scott has been playing the dulcimer for more than four decades. Rick has received several awards and honors for his work with children’s music. Guest: Length 36 min. |
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In this episode, we focus on the melodic and rhythmically complex music Fariña created on his dulcimer and explore how his heritage and world travels influenced his music. We talk with Fariña’s relatives, people he knew, and two dulcimer players he influenced. We present intimate stories and letters from him to show how his music was ultimately the result of his zest for life.
Guests: Length 39 min. |
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We begin our tribute to Richard Fariña with Jerry Rockwell and John Blosser, two dulcimer players influenced by Fariña’s dulcimer playing. With music from two tribute albums: Reinventing Richard: The Songs of Richard Fariña by Plainsong, and Another Country … The Songs of Richard and Mimi Fariña by Caroline Doctorow. Richard’s cousin Omar Lugones shares insights into Fariña’s music. Guests: Length 27 min. |
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We continue the exploration of the scheitholt, the predecessor of the mountain dulcimer: Guests: Length 23 min. Correction note: Around 03:43, Ryan Koons was described as an "endomusicologist." We meant to say "ethnomusicologist." |
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In this episode we have two stories about Joni Mitchell's dulcimers. In the first story Joellen Lapidus recounts selling a dulcimer to Joni at the 1969 Big Sur Folk Festival. In the second story Rick Scott recalls being picked up by Joni while hitchhiking in Canada in 1971. Guests: Length 29 min.
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In this episode we talk about the mountain dulcimer's predecessor, the German scheitholt with folklorist Lucy Long and luthier Ben Seymour. Plus, Dulcimer Week in the Wallowas in Oregon. Guests: Episode Resources |
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"Hearts of the Dulcimer is one of the coolest things to happen to the mountain dulcimer since Jean Ritchie brought it out of the hills of Kentucky ...” - Bing Futch
"The Hearts of the Dulcimer documentary was a fabulous film, and now the artists are continuing to support dulcimer music and musicians through podcasts. The first podcast was informative and entertaining. I can't wait for the next installments." - Memphis Dulcimer Gathering