Norm Williams

Music has always been a large part of my life.  I sang my first solo at age 12 and sang a lot with the church choir and my family during my high school years.  At age 20 I picked up the guitar, and soon after started playing with friends – we formed a band; “Wayfarers,” and the rest is history.

Currently I consider the mountain dulcimer my main instrument though I still play lots of guitar, some banjo and ukulele, a little native flute and do lots of singing.  My principal musical focus is Old-Time Appalachian fiddle and gospel songs and tunes with lots of other folk influences, all acoustic of course.

I am privileged to be a co-founder of The Pocono Dulcimer Club, and a  coordinator of their Winter DulcimerFest held every January in Stroudsburg, PA: a co-founder of the Maiden Creek Old Time Music Festival held annually the 2nd weekend in July.  I began teaching mountain dulcimer in 2002 and have been faculty at festivals throughout the Northeast (including the Pocono Winter DulcimerFest; DAA Mountain Dulcimer Music Fest, August Dulcimer Days,  Music by the Bay, the Cranberry Dulcimer Gathering, Maiden Creek Old Time Festival, MadCap Music Camps &  Augusta Heritage Center, WV).  Additionally I coordinate music for the Quiet Valley Historical Farm in Stroudsburg for their annual Harvest Festival in October (2nd weekend) and their Music in the Valley program in July.

I also perform with the bands Wayfarers & Company , Tom & Betty Druckenmiller, and most recently with Cliff Cole & Rob Yoder in the band, Dulcimer Boys ...and in lots of informal old time string bands who jam at Farmers Markets and the like throughout the Lehigh Valley. I am also a volunteer host for news and folk programming at WDIY 88.1FM, Lehigh Valley Community Public Radio.