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.
Latest Activity
AllPocono Dulcimer Festival -(PA) - CANCELLED
Pocono Dulcimer Festival -(PA) - CANCELLED
Pocono Dulcimer Festival -(PA) - CANCELLED
I plan on being there...going to get my tickets next week. It's easy to forget that many before me learned to play by ear & never even saw a tab book.....with all the really talented & musically educated (theory) folks on this site, I tend to get discouraged at times but the instrument is just to fun too fun to put down & besides, the challenge of figuring out a song is addicting at times. See you in your class...hopefully I'll be able to absorb some of it
tell me more about your class...I'm new to dulcimer (about 6 months) and so far have been playing by ear (tabs confuse the heck out of me) so if I want to learn a song I just pick along till I figure out the melody & then work on whatever chords seem to work. The same goes for finger picking....whatever sounds good for the song. If your class is for advanced players, I guess that would leave me out.
Norm, my wife Bev really like your beginners class at Perkasie. We both liked the workshop. Thanks for for a great workshop.
Hi Norm, nice to see you on FOTMD. Looking forward already to Pocono Winterfest!
Hi Norm,Just realized you were talking about DAA in March at Albany. I was at Cranberry last weekend. It was a great festival. J:-)
Yes Norm, a little more open jamming would have been great. But I realize that in a 1.5 day fest it would be hard to carve more time out for jamming- especially in a church where you really can't have people jamming there till 1am. ;)
Thanks Lisa,I enjoyed the weekend very much - it is definitely one of my faorite festivals... I was glad to see the banjo at the "jam" but wish it could have been longer and alittle more playing - ah! a small wish... It was terrific to meet you - see you down the road!
Norm, I so much enjoyed your class and your stage performance- what a joy to hear those ballads and hymns. Definitely one of my top favorite things about this past weekend.
Hi Norm, I will be going to the Albany fest this weekend....see you there, say hi if you see me! :)
Thanks everybody!! Nice to be here and I'm wondering how i missed this group... hmmm. Anyone going up to Albany this weekend? Great festival, some good MD instructors...
Hey Norm, welcome aboard. Glad to another PA'er joined the ranks...
Welcome to FOTMD Norm. :)
welcome Norm... glad ya joined the family..
Hi Norm, welcome!You play limberjack?- I love playing my limberjacks! Awesome. :D