Dulcimering Through Life

[DulcimerPlayer]

I just joined the forum and thought I would say a hello to all the musicians. I play a mountain dulcimer as a civilian re-enactor, mostly around Oklahoma. I am a police Officer in real life and weekends can be in short supply. I started playing the Mountain Dulcimer several years ago because I liked the sound and it's the easiest of all stringed instruments to play.

My younger brother does blacksmithing as a hobby and started going to local re-enactments. I started hanging out with him and decided to start bringing a dulcimer to keep me occupied. As I found out more of the dulcimers history I decided that I would find someone that could build a period dulcimer that would fit in. I found a luthier named Keith Young who took on the project and made me a replica of the earliest known dulcimer to Virginia (1800). Attached is a link to his home page with history and such. Nice reading.

As my signature says I play for coffee, or anything else really. I also bring along a assortment of toys to entertain the kids and show them a little about life pre-Ipod. I have played at the Battle of Round Mountain at Yale Oklahoma and did several spring gatherings at Fort Gibson. I hope to branch out some to other re-enactments this coming year, so I am always looking for a good campfire, Yankee or Reb.

Any other Dulcimer Players out there?

[DulcimerPlayer]

Keith Youngs dulcimer page.

http://www.appalachiandulcimers.com/earlydulcimer.html

[Marc]

Paul,

I think what you are doing is really neat. No I do not play, but I have enjoyed the many documentaries on folk music such as "The Song Catcher" and I just saw one from NetFlix on the Kentucky songs of history. Songs and music tell a story and relate so much to our countries history. Glad to see you do what you do.

[goatgirl]

Welcome to the forum, Mr. Bostick. The mountain dulcimer is one of the first stringed instruments I learned to play. My brother and I used to spend hours playing out of Songs of the Civil War for the Appalachian Dulcimer. Those were the good old days. . .

Even though I like to play 1800’s songs, I sometimes play folk style finger-picking instead of the old traditional drone strumming. I’ve never taken mine to a re-enactment. It is the post-war hourglass shape. If you are ever in our part of the South, I’d like to hear you play.