Thanks John! :-)

Thank y'all once again for all of your tireless hours spent promoting this wonderful instrument.  It is always a pleasure and an honor to participate in your projects.

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 16
Blues on Dulcimer

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.

With guests John Keane, Chris Shoemaker, and Bing Futch. Additional music from Steve Eulberg and Steven K. Smith.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/016.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 15
Steve Eulberg: Dulcimer Crossing

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.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/015.html

Hi Lexie, Thanks so much, we really appreciate your feedback. We hope you will encourage your friends to listen to the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast , and write a review in iTunes:  http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast.

Thanks Patricia and Wayne, I very much enjoyed Neil Hellman's story. Whew, you are doing well bringing us such interesting people who have supported our beloved mountain dulcimer. I really appreciate the work you do.

Thanks Dusty, we appreciate your support! Thanks for listening. I'm sure our paths will cross again!

Patricia and Wayne, I finally had a chance to listen to the Neal episode. Even though I've seen your film countless times and enjoyed innumerable conversations with Neal directly, I still found the podcast both informative and entertaining. You managed to get some details out of him that he doesn't often reveal.  Your choice of music is also impeccable.  Although I have all of Neal's CDs and many of the Gourd Music titles (including the Shaker trilogy) I still came away from your podcast with a renewed respect for the "sometimes folk, sometimes classical, always acoustic" or "folk baroque" vision with which Neal infuses all the Gourd Music recordings. 

I haven't seen you guys in a while but I hope our paths cross again soon.

Hi Lexie, Wow, that's so touching! I'll share your words with her family, I know that will warm their hearts. Judy was a wonderful person and we're so glad we had an opportunity to know her. 

Thanks for listening!

Yup, we have a bit of a collection going.  :-) Thanks for listening! 

I have been catching up on the pod casts; thank you for introducing me to a beautiful soul Judy Klinkhammer. She was quite a pioneer there in the mountains. I really appreciate her spirit for her music and how she shared it with anyone.

What an inspirational woman with the MD and her life with passing on music.

Wow! We're up to 14 already?  We just had Neal up here in Sacramento for a workshop and concert this past weekend.  I look forward to taking a break from work and checking out the latest episode.

Thanks for all you do!

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 14
Neal Hellman: Part Folk, Part Classical, All Acoustic

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.

For episode resources: http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/014.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 13
Linda Brockinton: The Art of Fingerpicking

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.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/013.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episodes 11 and 12
Judy Klinkhammer: A Dulcimer Life  

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.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/011-12.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 10
Howard Rugg:  Master Luthier of CapriTaurus and Early Folk Roots Dulcimers  

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.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/010.html

Thanks for listening John!

Wow, thanks Joy!

Still listening to it, and still lovin' it!  Great stuff!

I've been enjoying the Hearts of the Dulcimer podcasts and look forward to each episode. Thank you for compiling historical pieces and preserving the present for the future. The dulcimer community is enriched by your efforts.

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 9

Bing Futch: Dulcimer Road Warrior

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.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/009.html

That's awesome! 

I have enjoyed all of the episodes.  I just watched the one with Holly Tannen.  As it turns out, she bought a McSpadden Ginger from me and that is the one she refers to and plays near the end.  I'm so glad it found such a nice home!

Thanks Val, Wayne and I appreciate your comments.

Help spread the word ... please let your friends know about the podcast.

Patricia, keep up the great work. A real treasure for now and the future.

Thanks so much Rob! Your feedback means a lot to us. We appreciate you listening. If you haven't yet, would you be willing to write a review about the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast on our iTunes page? The link is: http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast .

More reviews = more visibility on iTunes for the dulcimer!  :-)

Patricia, I have enjoyed all the episodes of Hearts of the Dulcimer.  I especially enjoyed the new one with Holly Tannen.  Thanks a lot.

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 8

Holly Tannen: Songstress of Folklore

http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

Holly talks about how playing the dulcimer helped her overcome her shyness, about songwriting, and more! Come by for a listen and hear some great dulcimer music.

For episode resources:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/008.html

Thanks Dusty, glad you liked the video. Yes, that is a mic that you see.  :-) And thanks for listening to the podcast!

Patricia, I love the video you posted of Erin.  The audio quality is amazing.  Is that your little mic I see attached to her dulcimer? It was nice to meet her on her trip to Cali this summer.

After I finish a little work and pour a glass of wine, I'll be listening to your latest podcast.  Thanks for all you do to celebrate the dulcimer!

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 7

Erin Mae - Playing Old Time Music in New Ways

  http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

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. We met up with Erin and her sister Amber while they were on tour in Califo rnia. 

Also ... check out the companion video for this episode on our website:  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/007.html

Thanks for listening Lexie! I couldn't do this podcast by myself ... my husband Wayne Jiang and I partner together to produce it. 

If you're willing, we'd love it if you write a review on our iTunes page. Just go to the iTunes app and search for Hearts of the Dulcimer in the iTunes Store. You'll find us in the podcast section. If you have any questions, just let me know. 

Patricia, I truly enjoy your pod-casts, how you introduce people and their creative ways of enjoying our magical dulcimer and the variety of music it brings us.

Thank you for your strong support of the mountain dulcimer.

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 6

Rick Scott - Canada’s premier dulcimer player

  http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

We had fun talking with Rick, who is a dulcimer player, storyteller, actor, and singer songwriter. Rick has been playing the dulcimer for more than four decades and has received several awards and honors for his work with children’s music. This episode has lots of great music as well as entertaining stories about being a dulcimer player.

If you listened to our episode about Joni Mitchell, you heard Rick tell his story about getting picked up by Joni while hitchhiking in Canada in the 1970s.

Listen to the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast on your favorite podcast app, in iTunes, or on our website. And be sure to check out the episode resource page on  http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/006.html  for lots more!

Wow, it makes all our work worthwhile when we hear comments like yours objectsession. Especially the part about starting to play dulcimer. That was one of our major goals in making both the film and the podcast ... hoping that people who have never played would start playing. Thanks again!

Patricia 

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 5

Richard Fariña Tribute Part 2

Contributors to this episode are dulcimer players Joellen Lapidus and Neal Hellman, Richard's relatives Jim and Owenie Crozier and Omar Lugones, and the man who made Richard's dulcimer, Terry Hennessy.

And be sure to check out the episode resource page, there are photos, links, etc.: 

http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/005.html

Thanks for listening Helen! Be sure to listen to the Fariña Tribute Part 2, we'll be having Terry Hennessy from down under in that episode. And we'd love it if you left a review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hearts-of-the-dulcimer/id1014348960?at=1010l5QM . That will help our podcast get more visibility.  :-)

Ken, Gotcha! I heard about this journal on the Dulcimer Geek podcast, but I did not make the connection. Thanks!

Oh, no problem, Sheryl. We don't learn if we don't ask questions. DPN is Dulcimer Players News, a quarterly journal for both mountain and hammered dulcimer players. http://www.dpnews.com

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken, excuse my ignorance, but what is DPN? 

Sheryl, I will eventually share the information I collected including the pictures. Right now I am working with this information and with Ralph Lee Smith on an article for DPN.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Patricia, I'll leave a positive review on iTunes the 1st chance I get. 

Thanks for the compliment Sheryl! Wayne and I are having fun making these episodes.

You can help Hearts of the Dulcimer get seen on iTunes by giving Hearts of the Dulcimer a review or rating on iTunes. To do that, go to:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hearts-of-the-dulcimer/id1014348960?at=1010l5QM . Then click the link "View in iTunes." After iTunes opens, click on the link "Ratings and Reviews." There's a button on that page called "Write a Review." You need an iTunes account to leave a review.

Thanks so much! :-D

Ken, will you be sharing your photos on FOTMD? Sounds like a very interesting process. 

Thank you, Sheryl. Recently I was able to examine the instruments (PA German zithers) in the collection of the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum that are pictured in L. Allen Smith's "A Catalogue of Pre-Revival Appalachian Dulcimers." Unfortunately none of zithers are on public display. While doing so I found that there is another one in the collection that Allen did not examine. Perhaps it was not there when he visited. I also examined that one taking photos, measuring, and tracing it. These are very interesting instruments.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken, I enjoyed your interview on the Hearts of the Dulcimer podcast. Having been born, and raised, in Upstate NY, I made many trips to PA. My most memorable was a camping trip just outside the fence of a working Amish farm. The Scheitholt has been added to my list of instruments that I eventually want to play. 

Patricia, I love the NPR quality of the Hearts of the Dulcimer podcast, and can’t wait for more episodes.

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 4

Richard Fariña Tribute Part 1

http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

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 Fariña tribute albums: one to be released September, 2015 from Plainsong called Reinventing Richard: The Songs of Richard Fariña , and Caroline Doctorow’s 2009 tribute album called Another Country … The Songs of Richard and Mimi Fariña . Richard’s cousin Omar Lugones shares insights into Fariña’s music.

For episode resources, go to http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/004.html

Liked the 2'nd part of Schienholt, great interview Ken. It is really interesting to learn so much history of this instrument, too bad there is not more music from the past. Maybe you'll find someone who knows of the music through the podcasts.

A little shameless self-promotion here, but I want to let everyone know that Patricia and Wayne have the latest episode posted.

http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/003.html

Enjoy it folks.

Ken

"The dulcimer plays a sweet song."

Thanks Lexie! We'll be having a part 2 episode on the scheitholt. And much more to come ...

Patricia, I really enjoyed listening to both of your podcasts, they were both intertaining and interesting.

I really liked the interview with Ben Seymour, he is very educated on history of the MD, a great luthier and musician.

Thanks for the additional info, good to know!   (way out smiley)

Patricia, I forgot to mention that I really like that your podcasts are 30 minutes long. I subscribe to several excellent NPR podcasts that are an hour long, and I get behind on those because I rarely have an hour to listen. And when I listen to them in piecemeal, I lose interest. Good luck with your podcast, it seems you are off to a WAY OUT start.

Sheryl, Thanks so much for listening! We have more episodes in the works. Wayne and I are so excited about doing this podcast. We LOVE hearing from people who've listened. We're planning to share some listeners' comments in a future episode, so if anyone is interested in this, go to http://dulcimuse.com/podcast  to share your comments or suggestions.

Dusty, We've had the same experience as you ... while making our film, many people had a special story about the dulcimer. I have one too! What is it about the dulcimer that brings out these feelings and special experiences that other instruments just don't? The mountain dulcimer is truly a magical instrument ...

Patricia, Just listended to your 2nd podcast: Joni Mitchell's Dulcimers. Very enjoyable! I am looking forward to more episodes. Thanks for these. 

The photos of Joellen Lapidus' dulcimers are well worth the trip on over to her website. Amazing craftmanship.

http://www.lapidusmusic.com/

Patricia, guitars were always there in my life.  I do not have a genesis story of the moment I discovered the guitar. Or the piano. Or almost any other instrument.  But the dulcimer is different. I can tell you when I first heard the dulcimer and how it affected (infected?) me.  Most dulcimer players have similar stories.  It might be nice if you began collecting those stories and shared them periodically on your Podcast.  You could ask people to send you emails that you could edit and recite, people could share audio files directly, or you could interview folks as you visit different dulcimer festivals.  It could be a recurring part of your podcasts.  Many people wax poetic when talking about their first exposure to the dulcimer. And for you guys it would be like crowdsourcing but for content instead of finances.

My husband Wayne Jiang and I have started a new podcast exclusively about the mountain dulcimer called Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast. This podcast is dedicated to everything about the mountain dulcimer: the dulcimer’s history, dulcimer music, dulcimer builders, dulcimer communities, dulcimer culture, and much, much more!

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 1
Scheitholt Part 1

http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

In this first episode, folklorist Lucy Long and luthier Ben Seymour talk about the German scheitholt. Plus, Heidi Muller talks about Dulcimer Week in the Wallowas in Oregon.

For episode resources, go to: http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/001.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 2
Joni Mitchell's Dulcimers

http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

In episode 2, we have two stories about Joni Mitchell's dulcimers. Joellen Lapidus tells the story of selling Joni a duulcimer at the 1969 Big Sur Folk Festival. Rick Scott recalls being picked up by Joni while hitchhiking in Canada in 1971.

For episode resources, go to: http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/002.html

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 3
Scheitholt Part 2

http://bit.ly/hotdpodcast

In this episode, we continue the exploration of the scheitholt:

- What kind of music was played on the scheitholt?
- Why did it fade into obscurity?
- And why is there a surge of interest in the scheitholt?

To answer these questions, Wayne spoke with Ken Koons, Ryan Koons, and Ken Longfield, who are musicians and instrument builders. They have built their own scheitholts and have done research on the instrument.

For episode resources, go to: http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/003.html