2016 International Blues Challenge Finalist Winner - "Best Guitarist (Solo/Duo)" Award
"A master of the mountain dulcimer" - Connections Magazine
"He plays the dulcimer like Jimi Hendrix. He has this ability to communicate a sensual energy when he's onstage" - Tom Shed, Florida Folk Festival organizer
"...a high-energy solo performer and frontman..." - Music Connection
"Musical Tabasco!" - The Orlando Weekly
Using Appalachian mountain dulcimer, Native American flute, ukulele and a board full of stomp-boxes, Bing Futch celebrates traditional and modern Americana music with passion, humor and boundless energy. Known for his musical shape-shifting, Bing switches the channels on style and tone with every new song, from his roots-rock and blues originals to The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Disney covers.
As a nationally touring solo performer he's headlined at such events as The Walnut Valley Festival, The Florida Folk Festival, Old Songs Festival, Indiana Fiddlers Gathering, The Big Muddy and Common Ground On The Hill.
Bing has enjoyed a career as both folkie and rocker, first with post-punk act Crazed Bunnyz in 1986 and much later in 1999 as co-founder of Mohave on mountain dulcimer. That band, with bassist Mike Burney and drummer McGyver , made their debut performance at the House of Blues at Walt Disney World and would go on to open for Molly Hatchet, St. Somewhere and The Crests.
In 2006, Bing began performing solo at festivals and music venues across the country. Since then, he has recorded a number of albums and published several music-education books including the best-selling Blues Method For Mountain Dulcimer 101. In 2014, Bing won the Solo/Duo Artist award in the Central Florida Blues Challenge competition, earning a coveted entry into the 2015 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, where he advanced to the semifinals. Several months later, Bing competed in the 2015 Central Florida Blues Challenge and won his category for the second year in a row, which led him back to Memphis to compete in the 2016 International Blues Challenge. There, he advanced all the way to the finals and was given the award for "Best Guitarist" in the Solo/Duo category, despite competing solely on the mountain dulcimer.
Bing's music has been featured in film, video, on stage and in exhibits at the Orlando Museum of Art . He was composer and musical director for "The Jungle Book: A Musical Adaptation" at Stage Left Theater in Orlando, Florida. He also contributed music to the soundtrack of The Castle of Miracles attraction at Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee, Florida.
In 2008, Bing became the first endorsing artist for Folkcraft Instruments and has written a number of books for them, including the best-selling Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer . Around that same time, he worked with V-Picks to develop a pick specifically for mountain dulcimers. This collaboration resulted in both the “Bing” Lite and “Bing” Ultra-Lite models.
Typically traveling over 35,000 miles a year in a 32’ Jayco Greyhawk named Marahute , Bing keeps a busy schedule of performances, workshops and production that includes shooting episodes of Dulcimerica , a video series on YouTube that’s been viewed by millions of people worldwide and is currently in its 14th year. Since the spring of 2020, when coronavirus began to make its presence widely known, he’s been producing music and video from his home in Orlando, Florida and spending lots of time with his wife, Jae , and a menagerie of rescued critters.
Latest Activity
AllDulcimerica Episode 721 - "Going To Winfield Pt. 2"
Dulcimerica Episode 721 - "Going To Winfield Pt. 2"
Dulcimerica Episode 720 - "Going To Winfield Pt. 1"
Dulcimerica Episode 717 - "Melody and Chord Exercise"
Dulcimerica Episode 717 - "Melody and Chord Exercise"
Dulcimerica Episode 715 - "John Henry"
Dulcimerica Episode 715 - "John Henry"
Dulcimerica Episode 713 - "Birds of a Feather (Live)"
Dulcimerica Episode 713 - "Birds of a Feather (Live)"
Dulcimerica Episode 712 - "Three Original Blues"
Dulcimerica Episode 712 - "Three Original Blues"
Dulcimerica Episode 711 - "Western Michigan Trek"
Dulcimerica Episode 711 - "Western Michigan Trek"
Latest Group Discussions
AllStudies for Diatonic and Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer
[UPDATED: If you've already downloaded the .pdf for D Diatonic Scales,...
@Bing Futch 13 years ago - Comments: 14
Latest Photos
AllLatest Forum Discussions
AllExpedition Dulcimer - Roundhouse Lodge -...
By: @Bing Futch
Expedition Dulcimer - Stone Mountain Manor...
By: @Bing Futch
Sorry, that should read Robin Clark's audio, not video.
Hi Bing. You are an amazing player. I beg to differ on one thing, though, so I'm gonna stick my neck out and say it. On one of your videos, "Using Multiple Fingers" I think it's called, you demonstrate Whiskey Before Breakfast as played in "noter" style, but since you "don't have a noter handy" you use one finger to show how "slow" noter playing is. With all due respect, an actual noter can move around the fretboard much faster than that! Check out Robin Clark's video of Whiskey Before Breakfast, for example.
My two cents worth - only we don't use pennies in Canada anymore, so that woould either be rounded up to a nickel, or down to zero!
Bing- Congratulations on your awesome win in the international Blues competition!
Hi Bing,
Just wanted to say thanks for your Dulcimerica videos-- they were a huge influence in my decision to take the plunge and pick up a dulcimer a year ago, and extremely helpful in getting started (no teachers in my area). Your playing the blues on the dulcimer was also inspiring. It's been a fun year. Keep up the good work !
thank you
Hey Bing, My wife and I really enjoyed your concert at the Garry Owen. The bodhran and fiddle were a bonus! Your rendition of "The Gael" was awesome. I didn't get a chance to tell you, but a good friend of mine was the lone fiddle player in the fort playing "The Gael" in the actual "Last of the Mohicans" movie. It just so happens that is my favorite movie, so hearing you play it was great. Anyhow, hope to see you again somewhere soon. Take care til then!
Scott
Yes, it should be interesting with all the tourists and reenactors in town! Take care til' then.
Bing, your videos are wonderful. They were helpful when I was considering a new dulcimer with a 1+ fret. Went ahead and got the dulcimer and absolutely love it. Thanks! Just got into uke....got uke videos?
Thank you for adding as a Friend. I try to learn something new every day. Walk with the Creator My Friend.
Hey Bing, Thanks for "friending" me. I am new to the site and wasn't aware that I could leave a comment when sending an invite...Ooppps! Oh well, thanks for accepting.
Thanks for the info on tunings on your "double". I need to get some Chromatic exposure - still wanna know if that is where I wanna go in the future. I'm currently playing on my "vintage" '78 Folk Roots Hourglass with a 29" VSL. I like it a lot but it has no, repeat...no extra frets! Oh Yeah, and it has no pickup for pluggin' in for gigs. I play most everything in DAD and I have a fair amount of versatility. I am sorta lookin' for something new in the new future and worry that the shorter VSL's of latter day dulcimers, won't have the depth of tone that I want. I am thinking about baritones for that depth, but not sure that is where I wanna go. I do know that I want warmth and depth but don't want to trade off the overall balance of lows, highs and mids...I play a Taylor guitar that has Koa back and sides with red cedar top - a really mellow sound taht gets lots of "attaboys" from the audience. My Lanikai Uke is all mahogany and is surprisingly pretty mellow, too. Just want something similar in any new MD's I get in the future. I hate cheesy, cheap, "tin-ny" sounds in stringed instruments.Again - thanks for sharing your specifics. Love your music and most of all your energy!Keep on keepin' on, Bruddah! Aloha nui...Scooter Lee
Oh and yes, I did a little porch picin' as well !
Quick visit over the weekend at my sisters in Ky. Cherry picking time there , picking till the juices running over my hands as well as my face , one for the bucket and one for my face ! So it's Cherry Cobbler time " yes looking forward to going back to Bardstown soon.
Yo, Bing - just checkin' out the FolkCraft site and saw some stuff on "Annie" your double dulcimer. How do you have it tune? I've seen other "doubles" (Not "courting") that were set up with a more traditional fretboard and a chromatic fretboard...but I notice yours isn't chromatic. I have no experience with chromatics but as a guitar player, am interested in them as a tool to add more versatility to my repertoire. Any thoughts or comments on that kinda set up on a "double".Scooter Lee
Kentucky Music week in Bardstown is June 20th-25th. I have family that lives outside of Bardstown and I will be staying there . Looking forward to the Jam festival and workshops. The Family I have in Auburndale Florida, outside of Lakeland and near Winterhaven are probably close to where you are. I hope to catch one of your performances there too when I'm visiting Florida.
Hello Bing Futch " I have seen you on you tube and your are Fantastic with the Dulcimer. You have encouraged me not to give up ! I was introduced to the Dulcimer in the Nineties and fell in love with the instrumment. The sound is Beautiful . I have a McSpaden hour glass. Good to see you on this site and I hope to visit Bardstown Ky festival this June. It will be my first DulcimerJam Festival. I also have family that live in Bardstown Florida, by Winterhaven and Lakeland.
Cool, Lynn - have fun with it!
Ed Buhler writes:<<I can't believe it is you! In this community! You are famous. I love your playing.'>>Hey, just whaddya mean by that?! LOL LOL!
Howdy Bing, I`ve been a fan of years for a number of years now, and just joined the site. This is my kind of place, it`s been a long time coming for all who build and play dulci`s. Hope to talk to you soon.....Randy
WOW, Bing!! You certainly do get around!!! Somehow I did not expect to see you here. You're so busy and all. Welcome to Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer.