Conversations With Mountain Dulcimer Players

  Geoff Black is a mountain dulcimer player, dealer and tutor (not necessarily in that order) from Herefordshire, England. He has played the dulcimer on and off since the 1980s, but more seriously since 2009. You will find him at Nonsuch Dulcimer club gatherings as well as teaching at a number of folk festivals in the UK. He’s also a regular teacher on the online dulcimer festival circuit, teaching with his playing partner Duncan Gibbs (who lives in Wales). STEVE: Where to start? You are a man of many talents Geoff, so if you’re happy to do this can we start with Revels Music? When did you start up and was it solely to deal in mountain dulcimers? GEOFF:    Well, it started with my four children and the desperate search for playable and affordable instruments when they were growing up. They were into woodwinds (despite my best efforts!) and I ended up importing cheap old band instruments from the USA. So it was natural, later, when I found it difficult to get decent ...

  INTRO: I met Gianna Williams (very briefly) at the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club’s annual weekend in October 2023. Gianna is the first mountain dulcimer player I know of from Italy. I asked her to tell me something of her background: GIANNA: I’m based in the region of Liguria which is just over the border from the French Cote d’Azur, so we enjoy a very pleasant climate here and the best of Mediterranean and Alpine landscapes. What confuses people is that I’m a native English speaker because I was born in Australia, then when I was seven we moved to Chicago, Illinois and then moved again, this time to London, when I was 14. I moved ‘back’ to Italy permanently in 2001. I’ve been playing the mountain dulcimer for almost 10 months, so I’m technically a beginner I suppose! But I’ve taken it very seriously from day one and have worked hard on making progress as quickly as possible. STEVE: The dulcimer is a fairly uncommon instrument in the North of England, where I live, and I guess it is ve...

  I first met William when I was helping Liz Conway with the Nonsuch Spring Fling of 2019 and he hitched a lift with me up to Allendale from Hexham train station. Since then our paths have crossed many times, virtually and in person, and he now helps me considerably with the organisation of the re-located Newcastle Spring Fling. So, we have had many a chat but none as I can recall, William, about your music and what motivates you to play the dulcimer. Let’s remedy that now. First of all, how did you get into music – what’s your back-story? WILLIAM: Now as you mention it, Steve, I have fond memories of that Spring Fling in Allendale – great music and camaraderie high up in the magnificent North Pennines. I won’t forget the Sunday night concert in Sinderhope Hall featuring Liz Conway and her “Midsummer Blue” ensemble. That’s also when I first met our good friend Erin Mae Lewis (who joined Úna and me, with her husband Justin, for an evening’s music and craic in Belfast a couple of ...

Paul modestly said at the start of our conversation that he was not really sure he was important enough to be featured, but was keen to put over what it’s like to be an enthusiast. Not important enough? Of course you are Mr.Crocker - give over! I asked Paul to tell us a little about himself: My name is Paul Crocker, a Bristolian, now residing in nearby Bath. For approximately forty years, I have been an enthusiastic fan and amateur player of all things resembling a Mountain Dulcimer. I have always played at home for relaxation; enjoying working out how to play any tunes or music I hear about me that I like. I have recently enjoyed the recent development and availability of ‘Stick Dulcimers’, which allow me to play my repertoire upside down! Steve: What first drew you to the MD? Paul: I was very fortunate to grow up with MDs and with parents with a wide taste in music: Mum - ecclesiastical, Dad - Folk and 1970s Folk Rock. Together we watched the brilliant TV series ‘How to ...

Tony Gillam is a Worcestershire-based writer, musician, mental health nurse and senior lecturer. For many years he worked as a mental health nurse and now teaches mental health nursing part-time at the University of Wolverhampton. Tony told me a bit more of his musical background: I play guitar and mountain dulcimer as part of indie-folk duo Fracture Zone. I've been playing dulcimer, on and off, for over 30 years so I should be better at it than I am! When I'm not playing as part of Fracture Zone, I perform solo and, last year, released a solo album called Lazy Oceanography. I've also been known to teach beginners' dulcimer workshops and run improvisational 'music for wellbeing' groups. Steve: What first drew you to the MD? Tony: In 1981-82 I spent a year living in Brittany, working as an English Assistant in a couple of schools. (I was doing a degree in English and French, so this was my 'year abroad'.) I saw a dulcimer in the window of a...

Kendra started off our conversation by telling me a little about herself and how she got into dulcimer playing: My name is Kendra Ward and I live on my 265+ acre farm in rural southeastern Ohio Appalachia. I am the third generation to own this wonderful farm and we raise cattle. My husband Bob Bence is my blessing, not only in farming but in music!! I am a third generation dulcimer player. My grandmother, Lillie, was given a dulcimer in the 1890’s, which I have. Lillie Ward Steve: that's wonderful!  Kendra: She was a dulcimer player and banjo player...I have her banjo as well. She played clawhammer style. My father, Kenneth, was an amazing dulcimer and fiddle player. When he was 16 he built his first dulcimer with only a pocket knife. That was in 1925. I have that instrument as well. He played dulcimer his entire life and had a band for many years.  Kenneth Ward with the dulcimer he made in 1925 when he was 16 years old He taught my mom to ...

John Henry Crocker, is a founder member (and namer) of the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club. He is 86 yrs old, a retired carpenter/joiner, lecturer, and a luthier. He has been making and playing both sorts of dulcimers for over 40 years, and has made guitars and lutes. He tells me that he also plays the bodhran "for his sins". Steve: We'll not mention that John, your secret's safe with me! Can you tell me what first drew you to the MD? John: During the early '80s my son Paul saw Jim Couza busking on HD in Bath, brought home a sketch 'on the back of a fag packet', and asked if I could make one! Subsequently we both became attracted to the concept of MD after watching the John Pearse 'Make and Play' series on TV, and after some help from a more or less local luthier - Arthur Robb - I was hooked. Steve: Now that surprised me. I would have though that you had started making MD's and then progressed to the many-stringed HD. But I know nothing of car...