Great questions to consider. I think it is safe to say that all of us on this forum really like the mountain dulcimer.

But do we like it enough to do what we can to keep the history and the tradition alive?

Or will the history and tradition go by the wayside like the Mail Pouch tobacco painted barns and the sequential Burma Shave signs along the roadways?

I think all of us can do our part to keep the history and the traditions alive by keeping a couple of traditional selections in our play list and playing them from time to time, whether or not traditional style is our primary playing style. Who will keep the history and tradition alive when we are dead and gone?

Thanks for starting this discussion Kenl.

On another website, The Traditional Appalachian Dulcimore link , a few folks were wondering if any dulcimer clubs or groups spend any time looking at the history of the Appalachian dulcimer or traditional styles of playing and the early repertoire of players. A question that was asked is should clubs and festivals be encouraged to include dulcimer history and traditions in their gatherings? As someone who became interested in the mountain dulcimer when I was 10 or 11 years old, having heard Jean Ritchie play on a radio program, I've known about them for almost 70 years of my life. I really didn't get involved until after I finished graduate school and made my first dulcimer in 1974. It wasn't until the early 1990s that I began going to some dulcimer festivals and finding others with whom to play, although I did have single playing partners during the late 70s and early 80s. During that time I learned to play in the current popular tunings and popular repertoire of the festivals and clubs. But the sound of the older players kept drawing me back to the early styles of playing and their tunes. This made me want to learn more about the history of the instrument and its antecedents. Over the years I've examined predecessor instruments, built reproductions, and given talks/demonstrations/workshops at some clubs, festivals, and historical societies. These have always drawn more interest at historical societies than at dulcimer festivals and clubs.

So, I'll ask two questions. Is there any interest within the mountain dulcimer community in learning the history and traditions of the instrument? Should clubs and festivals be encouraged to provide this information to their participants?

I look forward to seeing what everyone here thinks.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

updated by @ken-longfield: 09/05/26 05:30:16PM