Friends, worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day is always the last Saturday in August. So, 29 August is the day! Mark & I have been practicing the song we will do on the holiday and hope our friends will make homemade music on the day, too:)
I haven't yet gotten to see the film yet really want to! When the film came to uptown Athens OH earlier this year we had flooding type rains and didn't go. The film was pretty low budget-- we kicked in a bit on their fundraising project. Our internet isn't the best so we don't buy movies to stream. Maybe someday I'll get to watch it. They're coming out with a music project based on the film soon, I think.
@Ariane Oh, that's such a funny comparison-- Moon River issued in Japan as Beef Stew! Thanks for the laugh this morning. In these days, it is needed more than ever.
Ah, thanks a million for the information, @john-gribble! So tragic about the deaths in the plane crash which included the singer!
@john-gribble Is the song based on an old myth or folktale and is the tune a traditional tune? (A dear grad school friend from Japan translated some Japanese folk tales for her thesis and, while she was working on them, I'd read them for her for their "readability" in English. This was several years ago.)
I think I have never heard of that song, @Ariane. It is sweet it gives you a happy remembrance from childhood. We can all use those sorts of remembrances from time to time.
Hey, @b-ross-ashley Ross-- good to see you again! It's nice to hear you are going to pick up the dulcimer again. I have found playing mountain dulcimer to be a balm to my spirit. Take care.
John & Ken, it was a great pleasure to be in Hindman for the opening of the museum in November of '15 (I think). Glad you fellows enjoyed the movie!
I had not heard of Jim Hamilton nor his Dulcijo. Like Dusty, I have heard good things about Mike Clemmer's instruments.
@magictime I've listened to your play and it sounds really good! Just keep playing and having fun!
I like the challenge of playing slowly-- it can be hard to keep a tune slow and melodic. Great exercise for me! @ariane's Shenandoah project is just the right kind of challenge for this old girl.
@john-gribble While I love the look of old friction tuners, my hands can no longer manage them-- soft tissue woes, not arthritis. Enjoy those Pegheads!
Regarding who built the mountain dulcimer Kathy was playing, I have received information from my young music friend Matt Searles about the mountain dulcimer-- here's the reply Matt received in response to an email he sent to Carol:
“The dulcimer Kathy plays in the documentary is one I made for her. I had never made a musical instrument before that project, and sadly, never made one after that either, since I moved away from access to the woodworking tools I used to build the dulcimer shortly after that. I did get lots of help from a real luthier for the project, so it turned out well.”
Matt is who introduced me to the music of Kathy and Carol and I am grateful to him!
Oh, thanks for the information, @leny-sue!
@leny-sue I'm glad to know that and imagine others are, too! I'm not sure but the circa 1965 album may have been their only LP. I love their sound!
The most recent videos I found were from 6 and 7 years ago. Here's one from 7 years ago:
At the 5:30 mark in the YouTube video, you will see Kathy Larisch play and sing in a style very reminiscent of the style of Jean Ritchie. Are any of you familiar with the duo of Kathy and Carol? I'd never before heard of them until a young music friend shared a bit of their music with me today. I'm curious as to who may have built Kathy's mountain dulcimer, too.
I love the looks of this instrument and would love to hear how it sounds!
I'd love to hear you play your diddley bow, @natebuildstoys!
I don't know your height, Jill, yet I'm short and prefer a short chair or stool to sit on while playing. Even a very compact camp stool of some kind would work.
Matt Berg wrote, in part: I may seem pedantic when referring to parts of an instrument, but really, I would like to our instrument take its rightful place as an American treasure.
@matt-berg I share your desire to see our instrument take its rightful place. And I don't see your approach as pedantic at all.
@Ken-Hulme & @Dan Those instruments look great! It'd be fun to have a go at playing them.
I've been working on a yet unnamed original tune and am playing it mostly on my Blue Lion Jean Ritchie model instrument. Playing mountain dulcimer is a comfort in these days.
Thank you, Ariane, for this wonderful project! And thank you, Alan and Dusty for your kind comment. Playing music together is one of the favorite activities here at our house.
@terry-wilson I'm close to absent from the singing bunch. Maybe 3 times I've sallied forth. . .
There are folks here who have sung a lot on recordings and have done it well!
We've had lots of mountain dulcimer players & singers here at FOTMD on video and audio through the years-- we're most fortunate that way!
Though I don't sing much, I've decided I don't want my lack in abilities to stop me if I really want to go ahead. It is not easy. I sang a lot when I was young. My brother's wife was the person who, after coming into the family, became "the singer"; people wanted her to sing at their weddings, funerals, and other occasions. I let that quiet me a bit. After I married, my husband's sister was who had always been considered "the singer" in his family. I let that quiet me, too.
It is my doing that I didn't sing much for a lot of years. I compared my singing to theirs and that was a mistake. I hope to sing more now and in future! And know that to become good at anything takes practice.
I think anybody who has a song in their heart would do well to go ahead and sing it! :)
Friends, here is Maddie's obituary. Included is a video of the memorial service-- a simple outdoor service and, appropriately, a song from Maddie was played.
https://www.endersandshirley.com/obituary/madeline-macneil
Butch, I'm grateful to you for putting this lovely piece together. And to Doug, too, for playing on it. I read Doug's tribute to Maddie on fb-- it was most touching.
Jan, I hope you are able to get an accurate diagnosis whether COVID-19 or something else!
Though I did not know Maddie MacNeil, I have been aware of her influence in the mountain dulcimer world in the years I have been part of the mountain dulcimer world. I have seen where many people have posted Facebook tributes to her which are wonderful. If any FOTMD members would like to share a remembrance of Maddie, please feel free to do so! Mr. Bing Futch made a video in which he pays tribute to Maddie and I post it here:
Steven's post reminded me I thought it sounded great with no water, too.
Nate, thanks a million for this demonstration! And your play is really nice. I could hear what you were saying about the smaller amount of water giving more of that tremolo like sound. Such a cool experiment. I look forward to hearing more from you!
Nate, I'd love to hear how your bundt pan instrument sounds!
Ariane, Mark & I have been working on our tune and waiting on nicer/drier weather so we can go record at a cave not far from our home. If weather doesn't cooperate, we'll make a recording someplace other than the cave and send it to you.
I'll be over tomorrow for leftover chicken soup, Robert, and some porch picking! :)
Hey, come on over, Dusty! We've eaten already but there's plenty more in the soup pot. :)
