How lucky you were if you had the chance to meet/hear Larkin in person!  After hearing Larkin's CD "A Lark in the Twilight", I was able to find and buy a copy of it.  It's absolutely wonderful, and I play it all the time -my favorites are two original songs that Larkin wrote herself. I also have a copy of Larkin's Dulcimer book.  I was wondering if she ever put out any other CD's, books, or tabulature.  Anyone know??  

She will be missed . I sold literally hundreds of her book Larkin's Dulcimer Book which I still consider the best dulcimer primer out there. I used to include a copy with my dulcimers . Lovely woman.

@robin-thompson - thank you for posting Kim's lovely description of her times with Larkin Bryant. So nice to read it.  

I still miss Larkin.  She was a staple in many of larger dulcimer festivals and her classes were warm and helpful.  My copy of her book, which was part of my first dulcimer purchase, usually went with me to festivals.  While at the Memphis festival in 1996 she signed my copy which has made it more valuable to me.

@carla-maxwell It wonderful you got to meet Larkin!  I imagine her book and accompanying recording have been a help for many on their journey of playing mountain dulcimer  

That was lovely. I didn't know her very well but appreciated Larkin's talent and kindness. Larkin was my first dulcimer teacher. Her beginner dulcimer workshop at the Memphis Dulcimer Festival was perfect for me, and I learned from her beginner book and accompanying cassette tape after that. I was very sorry to hear the sad news.

My apologies for the odd spacing on the posting!  I have tried to compact things yet have not been entirely successful.  I hope you like reading the tribute to Larkin!  

Here is a lovely and lovingly written tribute to Larkin posted on facebook by a dear music friend of mine, Kim, and used with permission here:

Most everything I know about the dulcimer I learned from Larkin Bryant. Almost every Friday afternoon for five years, I would go to her house for a dulcimer lesson (with an old-time fiddle lesson thrown in occasionally). We'd sit in straightback chairs in her front room across from her piano with our backs to the windows so the sunlight could shine in onto our sheet music. The sheet music was for me, as Larkin could play anything from her heart and memory. Her elderly black and white cat, Sweetie Pie, would snuggle in on Larkin's lap in the space between her dulcimer and stomach. Ariel, Larkin's beloved Weimaraner, would sit directly on top of my feet, chewing her heavy-duty blue rubber dog bone until she fell asleep. Mr. Kitty and Hannah, her two other cats, usually found spots in our instrument cases to curl up and snooze. We'd usually start our lessons catching up with news in each other's lives. Larkin always took time to ask and genuinely cared about what was going on my life. She was a fantastic listener and always spoke carefully and with wisdom.  

After talking a bit, we'd play music! She was a wealth of repertoire and music history, and she loved telling me the stories behind the songs. I soaked up everything I could. She would often walk me out to my car after my lesson and we'd talk about the many beautiful plants and flowers she had growing in her front yard. It seemed she even knew everything about those as well! A couple times, when I'd go back to my next lesson, she would have a clipping of one of the plants or a cutting of some of the flowers I had admired to give to me.

Her house was filled with wonderful antiques and instruments, and after our lessons she would tell me their stories or demonstrate one of the instruments. (I'd never heard of Cajun triangle until I had met Larkin! ) She even generously offered to let me display some of her precious antiques at my wedding, and I gladly took her up on that offer. But even more special to me than displaying those beautiful antiques at my wedding, was having her play at my wedding. She played her mountain dulcimer during the lighting of the unity candle and then she played several Celtic and fun old-time tunes on her hammered dulcimer and fiddle at our reception. Most memorable of all was a surprise she had planned. As Jon and I were walking to our car to leave town, Larkin followed behind us and began playing a farewell fiddle tune for us. That was so special to me.

Larkin wasn't just my dulcimer teacher; she was a true friend and I will miss her dearly. During our last phone call together a few weeks ago, even though she was ill and extremely tired, she took time to ask about me and my family and offer words of encouragement. She was always thinking of others before herself. I am thankful for and will always cherish her friendship and memories I have with her.

I'm sorry to hear this.  I have Larkin's book.  I didn't know much about her beyond that, but have always had a friendly feeling toward her.  Peace to her and to her family and friends as they mourn.

I have been unable to find a public obituary for Larkin to post.  Here is a link to the webpage she shared with her husband, Andy Cohen: 

http://www.riverlark.com/about.html

I treasure Larkin's dulcimer instruction book and her Lark in the Twilight cd-- I wish I had more of her music!  

So sad to lose another in our greater dulcimer family.

Sad news indeed. Larkin Bryant's book has had a great and long-lasting influence on dulcimer players.  She will live on in the playing of many others.

Sorry to hear of this.  I had never met Larkin, but knew of her and a reputation in the dulcimer world.  RIP.

Very sad news.  I also still have my book and cassette (and still think hers is one of the best introductions to the mountain dulcimer I've seen).  She certainly touched many lives.  My deepest sympathies to her family and friends. She will be missed.

Sad news indeed, Robin. Thanks for letting us know.
She certainly gave a lot of people joy through her own music, and through helping others to find their personal music as well.

Thank you for sharing this, Robin. This is sad news. Many people learned to play using her instruction book and cassette tape. I still have mine. My sympathy goes out to her husband, her family, and friends.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Musician Larkin Bryant has died.  Larkin's mountain dulcimer instruction book is a treasure I enjoy.  I also have Larkin's last mountain dulcimer cd and it is one of my favorites.  I post the following video in memory of Larkin-- in it,  Larkin and Bonnie Carol are playing music together.