My favorite dulcimer CD is the one that came with the book Celtic Songs and Slow Airs (Mel Bay). I got the book about the time I got the McSpadden kit and listened to it all the time I was building that dulcimer. It is not only some of the most beautiful singing and playing I've heard, but the book has all the music and tab to it. I've learned many from there. Neal Hellman is the author of that book. Slow and lovely...
A favorite of mine is the CD that comes with each DPN. I sometimes play HD too... Robert
Bill Graves- Sugar in the Coffee (lap dulcimer makes up a portion of the recordings)Jean Ritchie- The Most Dulcimer (nice vocals, too)
Lexie, my suggested CD is not filled with traditional appalachian folk tunes at all, but I find it to be the most relaxing dulcimer CD of the several dozen that I own: Mark Nelson's Ke Kukima Polinahe: Hawaiian and Polynesian Music for Mountain Dulcimer .
I think there is a book of tab for all the songs on the CD, but it might be difficult stuff for I've never heard anyone else play the tunes.
--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator
As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie
Anything by The Simmons Family, from Stone County, Arkansas, home of McSpadden Dulcimers, would be a good choice. Jerry Rockwell had a cd called (something like) Favorite American Folk Tunes, but I'm not sure it's still in print. If Robin Clark's cd is still available that would be good. David Schnaufer's "Tennessee Music Box" cd has a lot of traditional material on it and is (I think) all solo dulcimer. I'm sure there's a couple more that I can't think of right now.
Bob's right; Mary Faith Rhodes would be good, too.
Lexie, if you search YouTube you will find the dulcimer recording's of Mary Rhoades. She plays in the old style, pure and simple... Bob.
Lexie, one of my favorite dulcimer CDs is Galax Style Dulcimer done by Bonnie Russell and the Russell family. I don't know if you are familiar with this style, but I think it's a great CD - done many years ago when Bonnie was only 14 years old, I believe. There is no singing, but the music is great!
Great idea. I keep a skinny smart phone in my shirt pocket loaded with old fiddle tunes. I let them play when I'm working... Bob
Not "dulcimer", but the best collection of traditional Anglo-American folk music I know is www.contemplator.com -- words and music.
