my story is a lot like Ken's except it happened around the same time when i visited silver dollar city in branson.
Lynn McSpadden had a booth there and Jean Simmons was demonstrating his dulcimers. like Ken i was enchanted
by the song that was coming from Jean's dulcimer. she was playing with a noter and it seemed to me to be
something i could learn. like Ken ....other intruments overwhelmed me and here was one that did not.
i bought a kit and put it together and learned to hack out a few tunes immediately. i was hooked. i built one
from scratch and it was'nt too bad. the dulcimers soon were all over the house and i could'nt afford a bigger
house so i started selling them........or giving them to friends.
i hung out at the shop of David (Buzz) Darby in branson and we became friends. he really inspired me and
helped me learn to make dulcimers. Peter Engler gave me a 10 x 10 corner in his woodcarving and gift shop.
and i was in business full time. before long i was making over 100 instruments per year.
from there i started exhibiting at arts and crafts shows all over the country along with a few music festivals