One of my most exciting moments as a dulcimer player was playing Cripple Creek as fast as I could while Aubrey did her clog dancing on a small wooden square she had brought with her.  We were in a jam circle and it was my turn to name a tune. I just said I wanted to accompany  Aubrey's clogging, and she replied, "Well you better play pretty fast then!"  I sacrificed accuracy for speed and just watched in awe as Aubrey's feet did their magic.

I can't wait until I get a chance to hear the latest episode.  Thanks, Patricia and Wayne for all you do!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 51 
The Sweet Harmonies of Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast  or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode: https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/051.html

Thanks for listening!

Hi Dusty! Yes, Wayne is a lefty. We lucked out when we visited McSpadden years ago that Jim Woods just happened to have a prototype of a courting dulcimer for a lefty and a righty. I knew we just had to have it. 

And thanks for your continuing support for the podcast!  😎

Wayne's a lefty! Patricia, I've been looking at the picture of your McSpadden "courting" dulcimer and trying to figure out why you don't just call it a double dulcimer since both fretboards go in the same direction.  Then I remembered: Wayne's a lefty!

That looks like a beautiful dulcimer, by the way.

And I've really enjoyed the last couple of episodes. Each one is a gem.

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 50 
Jim and Betty Woods: The Longtime Owners of McSpadden Dulcimers

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast  or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode: https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/050.html

Thanks for listening!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 49 
Stay Home and Sing with the Dulcimer: with Aubrey Atwater

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast  or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode: https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/049.html

Thanks for listening!

Hi Dusty! I agree ... this is a silver lining with this horrible, horrible situation. I'm glad you're enjoying the podcast. We've been busy working on several more episodes ... stay tuned! Hope all is well with you and yours.

I'm just catching up with the last two "Stay at Home and Play Dulcimer" episodes.  Thanks once more for making this great podcast! 

Both Heidi and Stephen mention something that I've experienced as well. As sad and frustrating as it is to not be able to gather in person with our regular dulcimer friends, moving online has enabled us to connect with others we would not be able to share music with in person. I've picked up a couple of online students who live nowhere near me, and as my local dulcimer club moved online, we ceased to be local and picked up people from across the country.  I dare say--and I think Stephen hinted at this--that going online has strengthened rather than weakened the dulcimer community. Even when my local dulcimer club can meet again in person, I hope to continue hosting a regular online jam. How else can people from Maine and Kentucky and Tennessee and Arizona and Oregon and California all share music together?

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 48 
Stay Home and Play Dulcimer: with Heidi Muller and Bob Webb

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

Here's another episode created especially for dulcimer players.

Be sure to check out and download some free TAB on the episode resource page.

We spoke with Heidi Muller and Bob Webb, who shared tips and ideas for using time at home to improve your dulcimer playing.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:    https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode:    https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/048.html

Thanks for listening!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 47 
Stay Home and Play Dulcimer: with Stephen Seifert

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

This episode was especially created for dulcimer players! Be sure to check out and download some free TAB on the episode resource page.

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.

You can listen to all the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/047.html

Thanks for listening!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 46 
The Deep Sounds of Neal and Coleen Walters

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the   Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:   https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/046.html  

Thanks for listening!

Thanks Dusty, glad you liked it!

I finally had a chance to listen to the latest podcast on Nina Zanetti.  What a great job you do capturing not only the mood and timbre of her music, but also her personality.  Nina was really helpful to me when I was first starting on the dulcimer, and that patient, helpful nature really comes out in the podcast. What a treat it is to listen to!

Ken and Don,

Thanks to you both for being long time listeners!

Well Happy Anniversary to the Heart of the Dulcimer Podcast. I enjoy listening to the podcasts.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

 Love that you did this Don!

Yes, as of episode 45, we've created over 24 hours of podcast episodes all about the mountain dulcimer! And they're all free to listen to. If you add the 40 minutes of bonus features with the 55 minutes of the documentary film that's on the DVD, that's a lot listening and watching!!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 45 
Nina Zanetti: The Gentle Side of the Dulcimer

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast   episodes directly on our website:   https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode:    https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/045.html

Thanks for listening!

Have you had a chance to listen to the latest Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast episode? It's called Dulcimer Lullabies . Be sure to check out the episode resource page for some extra goodies:

David Schnaufer's TAB for Starry Lullabye
AND
A chance to win a Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast t-shirt.

Go to https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/044.html to download the TAB and to enter the contest. It's time sensitive, so be sure to check it out soon!

Patricia, I like the poetic interpretation, and can even imagine singing the song while holding a baby and then placing the baby into a crib as you sing "down will come baby."  However, I always assumed that in the same way that the old folk tales really were about starvation and death and infanticide (and in the case of Little Red Riding Hood, incest and bestiality), "Rock-a-Bye Baby" was about the dangers that beset infants in the pre-modern era, perhaps even infanticide, which was often due to "exposure," meaning babies were just left outside in the woods (maybe even in a treetop). In the end, we don't really know, do we?

Thanks Dusty, glad you liked the lullaby episode.

What's your interpretation of Rock-a-Bye Baby? Are you seeing a baby falling from a treetop? I'm kind of liking the more poetic interpretation.

New to me too!  :-)

Another sweet episode, Patricia.  It's an honor to be associated with you guys and the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast.

I have to count myself among those who was never enamored with "Rock-a-bye Baby" because of the image of the baby falling from the treetop.  I don't know if I'm entirely convinced of Julia Soto Lebetritt's interpretation, but she has me thinking about it.

Thanks for all you do!

Cool!  And I learned a new word:  lullabologist. :)

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 44 
Dulcimer Lullabies

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the    Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast    episodes directly on our website:   https://dulcimuse.com/podcast     or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists. Be sure to check out this resource page for the TAB of David Schnaufer's Starry Lullabye !

Here's the resource page for this episode:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/044.html

Thanks for listening Don and Dusty!

Yes, Rick Scott has tons of songs for children. We spoke to him in 2015 for the podcast. If you'd like to know more about Rick, here's our episode about him called Rick Scott - Canada's Premier Dulcimer Player   https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/006.html

Patricia, I look forward to the new episode (have to finish some work before I can indulge!). 

People in the States don't know Rick Scott too well, but I met him a few years ago. A truly unique player with a vast store of cool kids tunes.  He shared one tune (I wish I could remember it) that was in a strange tuning. When I asked him about the tuning he explained that he had an old dulcimer with friction tuners that would often slip. But sometimes he kept playing rather than retuning and discovered some interesting tunings that way. What a character!

June 30, 2019 started the 5th year of the Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast ! We hope you'll come listen to our many episodes.

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 43
A Children's Music Special

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

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.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists. 

Here's the resource page for this episode:   https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/043.html