Performers List

Mountain Dulcimer Performer
from Alexander, Arkansas.

Linda was a Flute Major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. A past member of the Arkansas Symphony, she has taught private flute lessons since the early 70's. She won the Southern Regional Championship in 1999 and was the Third Place Winner in 2000 at the Winfield National Championship that same year. She now teaches private and class dulcimer workshops at festivals as well as performing in her local area. Being a song writer, she feels a strong kinship to composers of the old songs. Her favorite music is the old Celtic, old Hymns and Classical. She feels that by playing the old songs she can keep the soul of her kindred spirits alive.

"......Would love to see (and hear) lots more of her."
-- Lynn Holberton (Dulcimer Player),Cincinnati, Ohio

Hammered Dulcimer Teacher/Performer
from Tucson, Arizona.

Anna started playing the mountain dulcimer in 1976, but began playing and performing primarily on the hammered dulcimer in 1986. She taught and performed on the mountain dulcimer through out Arizona and the U.S. Anna was the "hammer" of "Arm & Hammer" with guitarist Stefan George, performing together for over 13 years and recording five albums. With the new millennium she started a career as a solo hammered dulcimer artist. In October of 2001 she released her first Spanish/Latin solo album "Dulcianna.. A Southwest Dulcimer". She currently plays a blend of Spanish Classical & Latin Folk. She also continues to teach and perform at festivals through out the country and in March of 2002 she began studying and performing Spanish music with Dr. Jorge Pastrana D.M.A.

"Duff is a master at her instrument, energetic, intriguing and inimitable acoustic artistry"...Tucson Citizen.

"Anna's playing is ethereal!"...Arizona Daily Star.

"A delicate and controlled Hammered Dulcimer Player"...Tucson Weekly.

"Anna does a beautiful job of bringing this unusual instrument to life!" March, 2000... Tombstone Independent.

Musicians
from Tucson, Arizona.

Mark Holdaway is a uniquely gifted multi-instrumentalist from Tucson, Arizona. His rich musical compositions live in a dreamland between Folk, Ethnic, and Trance. Sweet! Excellent on Guitar, Mandolin, Hammered Dulcimer, Recorder, and more, he is also a Master of the enchanting Kalimba.

Mark Holdaway on guitar, mandolin, kalimba, hammered dulcimer, and vocals
Phil Anderson on bass and energetic eyebrows
Jonathan Crowe on drums and vocals

Singer/Guitar Player
from Arizona.

Mel says, "I sing, both lead and harmony vocals, ( I LOVE to Sing! ) play bass guitar, and a little acoustic rythym guitar.

I've been playing for over 20 years. I lived in the Nashville area for 'bout 7 years. I played on Broadway in Nashville for about 3 years, The TURF (before the tornado got it), made a fool of myself in front of NEAL McCOY, TOOTSIES, LEGENDS CORNER, MUSIC CITY LOUNGE, BARBARA'S in Printers Alley, KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS HALL OF FAME LOUNGE ... etc. I got to meet GARTH BROOKS. I know TRACE ADKINS."

Hammered and Mountain Dulcimer Teacher/Performer
from Saratoga, California.

Peter has been teaching and performing on mountain and hammered dulcimer since 1977. He mostly plays Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Breton, Shetland, Galician, Manx, Cornish) and Old Timey American instrumental tunes, but also some songs, and a bit of contemporary stuff. He currently teaches at Gryphon Stringed Instruments (Palo Alto, CA), and is working on a book with Neal Hellman & Michael Rugg (formerly of CapriTaurus dulcimers) called THE CELTIC DULCIMER ENCYCLOPEDIA. Previously wrote "TEACH YOURSELF TO PLAY THE DULCIMER" (Kicking Mule). Albums include "PETER TOMMERUP & FRIENDS" and he is working on a new CD with his band, SLAINTE("cheers" in Irish Gaelic). He has taught at Appalachian Dulcimer Week at Boone, NC; Summer Solstice and Dulcimer Festival, Los Angeles, CA; Blackpoint Camp of Oldtime and Traditional Music, Novato, CA; Eel River Music Camp, Mendecino area of CA; and co-founded Red Wood Dulcimer Day, Santa Cruz, CA.

Mountain Dulcimer Performers
from San Diego, California.

   Connie Allen and and Bill Dempsey have found a common voice in traditional music where Connie's banjomer, a hybrid of Appalachian dulcimer and banjo, adds a melodic accents to Bill's Carter style flat picking. Connie provides string bass accompaniment to Bill's banjo and kazoo extravaganzas.

   They have appeared at the San Diego Folk Festival 2000, Claremont Spring Folk Festival, Live Oak Children's Stage, Dana Point Tall Ships Festival, Harvest Festival of Dulcimers, Poway Train Song Festival as well as various libraries, historical site and schools.

   As SDFH's Phyllis Grodzitsky said of their act, "Connie and Bill have a rare ability to reach an audience and have them on the inside of the musical experience"

Mountain Dulcimer Performers
from San Diego, California.

   I have been playing guitar since 1956. I have played for kids, adults, my ship mates, my barracks (there was one in every barracks), and for Ronald McDonalds. I have fun singing and telling tall tales and stories and such.

Multi-Intrument Performer
from Sausalito, California.

   Joe Venegoni is an internationally acclaimed string instrumentalist and percussionist. This jazz quintet leader also performs with international artists Jiebing Chen, Shweta Jhaveri, Fareed Haque, Michael Manring, Carl Weingarten, and the Cloud Chamber Ensemble. Venegoni has conducted workshops for the Conservatoire National Superier et Musique et de Danse-Paris, Stanford University, the San Francisco Ballet, and dance companies: Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, David Parson, Margaret Jenkins, DV8, Mark Morris, and ODC/SF. Joe has composed scores for Sue Li-Jues Facing East, Robert Moses Kin, Janice Garrett Dancers, Kulintang Arts, and more. Recipient: Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Music in Dance.

CDs at CDBABY.COM Artistic Statement:

"Describing Venegoni's music, one tends to revert to motion words such as propulsion and momentum and flow. On its surface, Venegonis music makes an honest claim upon the universe of dance: he fashions it using elemental motifs germane to swaying Brazilian sambas, as well as rollicking Appalachian reels, and strutting Caribbean street dances. Venegoni's compositions might convey the feeling of a purposeful departure, and the gathering momentum of an eventful journey, with fleeting, lyrical reflections along the wayside. This sense of motion in his music no doubt makes a forceful play upon the imagination of his audience."
- Paul Harris

Record Label: MultiPhase Records
Type of Label: Indie

Mountain Dulcimer teacher/performer
from Hearst,Ontario, Canada.

Living in Canada, with no other known dulcimer players within hundreds of miles, Marc taught himself to play and later began composing some lively instrumental tunes.  One of his original pieces, "Playin' Hockey on the Pond", was recently featured in the Feb-May 2006 issue of Dulcimer Players News.  You can hear this piece by visiting the DulciTunes Website.

His enthusiasm to learn more about mountain dulcimer playing techniques and repertoire eventually inspired him to attend such festivals as August Dulcimer Daze (Vermont) in 2001 and Western Carolina University Mountain Dulcimer Week (Cullowhee, NC) in 2002.  Other participants enjoyed listening to him as he demonstrated some of his original compositions and other musical pieces unfamiliar to these regions of the United States.  Ever since, Marc has been attending these events and is very honored to have been invited by the organizers, to teach Canadian music workshops at both these gatherings.

Marc developed an interest in collecting both, traditional English and French-Canadian folk songs and instrumentals, for the purpose of creating mountain dulcimer tablature using music notation software on his computer.  With these available resources, Marc's mission is to promote Canadian folk music and song, making it more accessible to the mountain dulcimer community, and at the same time, encouraging enjoyment and an appreciation for its emotional characteristics and unifying musical qualities.

Celtic Musicians
from Littleton, Colorado.

Skean Dubh is one of the most enjoyable bands in the Rocky Mountain region. Their diverse repertoire spans centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, Scottish ballads, Irish pub-songs, Celtic folksongs, and gorgeous slow airs. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people.

These versatile musicians have received accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and extremely musical vocals that make their performances unforgettable. The music may be Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to full on rock.

Folk Musicians
from Denver, Colorado.

Colcannon has been performing for over a decade, presenting what we call New Acoustic Celtic Folk Music to ever-growing legions of fans across the country. We have recorded five albums for Oxford Road Records, which have received airplay on hundreds of public radio stations across the U.S. as well as in Europe and Canada. Colcannon has also been featured in an hour-long concert video "Colcannon in Concert" that was presented as a PBS television special. We've toured from the East Coast to the West Coast. Performance venues have ranged from community Arts Council concerts in small towns to major festivals such as the Merle Watson Memorial Fest. Our goal is to provide our audiences with an intense, moving, intimate, and fun concert experience, and (not to be too modest) we succeed at that. We have often heard, "This was the best concert we've been to (heard, seen, promoted...) in years!"

Mountain Dulcimer Performers from Fort Collins, Colorado. Using dulcimers, guitars, mandolin, a mouth harp and percussion.

An acoustic duo playing a sweet acoustic variety of music. Using dulcimers, guitars, mandolin, a mouth harp and percussion, they have created a special sound that is appreciated because it is soulful and gentle.

They draw upon a deep well of traditional music from blues and folk to early pop rock and spice it with original tunes to touch a heart, coax a grin, beckon toes to tap and souls to sway.

Hammer Dulcimer Performer
from Colorado.

Bonnie possesses professional credentials that are some of the most complete in the country. She has produced, recorded, and distributed five albums of her music, on which she plays the majority of the instruments. She put her knowledge of traditional music and dulcimers into the three books she authored. Most of the dulcimer contests across the nation have seen Bonnie win or place. See for yourself - attend a performance or arrange for her or one of her bands to play at your event.

Bonnie has always been an avid outdoors person, and in the last several years she has begun a project aptly named Moons and Tunes.
People are invited to bring musical instruments on multi-day wilderness river running, hiking, and archaeological excursions. It's the camaraderie of a music camp and a wilderness river trip all rolled into one, and is becoming quite a popular addition to the various music camps the dulcimer community offers. You can get more information about how to join the trips on her web page.

Mountain Dulcimer Performer
from Connecticut.

George has been making and playing Sweet Water Dulcimers for over a decade. Sweet Water sponsors the annual festival August Dulcimer Daze, and the annual Day of Mountain Dulcimer Workshops. They carry a variety of folk instruments and accessories for the dulcimer, CD's and videos, music pins, music stands and guitar stands, and instrument cases.

Performers from the New England area.
They play mountain and hammered dulcimer, autoharp, guitar, mandolin, banjomer, banjo, fiddle, concertina, and bass combined with plenty of 4-part vocal harmony.

For over 20 years, Neal played with the Mill Run Dulcimer Band and recorded eight albums with them. Neal provides the strong vocal lead of the group while playing guitar, mountain dulcimer, banjo, mandolin or autoharp. Coleen sings a low harmony and plays bass or percussion (rhythm egg or limberjack). John plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, or acoustic bass for the group while Heidi plays autoharp, hammered or mountain dulcimer.

Doofus regularly performs at dulcimer and autoharp festivals such as the Cranberry Dulcimer Gathering, the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering, the Housatonic Dulcimer Celebration , and Vermont's August Dulcimer Daze. Neal & Coleen have also traveled widely, teaching and performing across the country at programs such as the Augusta Heritage Program in Elkins, West Virginia; Kentucky Music Week; the Dallas (TX) Winterfest; Swannanoa Dulcimer Week; Clarion Folk College, and the Mardi Gras Dulcimer festival.

Doofus recorded their first CD called "What Did We Leave Behind?" in 1998 followed by "Handful of Songs" in December, 2000. Their newest album entitled "Relatively Serious" again features mountain and hammered dulcimer, autoharp, guitar, mandolin, banjomer, banjo, fiddle, concertina, and bass combined with plenty of 4-part vocal harmony.

Mountain Dulcimer Performer
from Litchfield, Connecticut.

Thomasina is a nationally recognized mountain dulcimer player, singer, and songwriter whose performances weave together the best of traditional and contemporary folk music.

Thomasina touches audiences with a simplicity, humanity, and strength drawn from the deep roots of the folk tradition. Her freshness and vitality surprise people, often evoking unexpected emotional responses from first time audiences and loyal fans alike.

Mountain Dulcimer Performer
from Orlando, Florida.

Bing's unique playing style incorporates tribal rhythms borne of African and Native American influences while his melodies and chordal harmonies take cues from Celtic and early mountain music. With his Americana band MOHAVE, he has performed at The House Of Blues at Walt Disney World, Hard Rock Live Orlando, numerous fairs and festivals, appeared in a televised concert special and has opened for legendary southern rock band MOLLY HATCHET and classic doo-wop group THE CRESTS.

As a solo artist, Bing's performances showcase the many different personalities and colors of the dulcimer. His original songs are as diverse as his covers, ranging from folk and roots music to pop and rock tunes, all delivered with a warm and easy- going stage presence that invites a spiritual connection with every audience.

"Mohave makes good on its word, mixing upbeat bluegrass and roots rock with Native American chanting, tribal beats, and ritualistic percussions - with mountain dulcimer front and center"
- City Link Magazine

"Mohave is Tabasco sauce set to music"
- Orlando Weekly

"Unique, eclectic, diverse, unlike anything you have seen or heard before"
- Connections Magazine

In response to folks who would like to get better acquainted with the mountain dulcimer, Bing is offering private lessons! Check out Bing's website for information.

Performer
from Largo, Florida.

CHARLEY GROTH is one of those entertainers who fits smoothly into a great variety of performance situations. He knows how to tailor his act to his audiences and how to erase the distance between the stage and the audience and make real contact with those he entertains. He's energetic and totally at ease onstage. Solo or with a band, he's successful in folk, country, bluegrass, traditional jazz and other festivals, fairs, clubs, corporate events, private parties, and special events of all kinds. Charley does well in bookstores, schools, and similar venues too. As he sings, plays with prowess that puts him into the real "hot picker" class, and regales the crowds with his often humorous stories, Charley makes friends wherever he goes and he adds strong value to any show in which he's booked. A very knowledgeable musician, he also is able to provide high-quality workshops in a wide range of musical subjects.

Check out the Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp Website!

Performer
from Gainesville, Florida.

Steve plays music of the late 60's and early 70's as a solo performer with professional equipment. He performs with his heart and soul for each song he covers - keeping in mind how the original artist would approve. Has been playing guitar for 40 years!

Hammer Dulcimer Performers
from Pensacola, Florida.

The Sweet Prospect band plays a varied repertoire that includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, and slow airs, as well as American folk tunes. Two hammered dulcimers and guitar are played along with other instrumentation. Visit their web page for a complete bio, play dates and booking information.

Mountain Dulcimer Performer
from Flintstone, Georgia.

Joe learned to play sitar while living in India from 1966-1970. Joe's sitar master was Balbaru Khulhini who taught at Bombay Women's College. While in India, Joe attended AIS and graduated in 1969. He was known as a banjo player and was in a folk group his senior year. The folk group was chosen by Ambassador Bowles to sing " Union" protest songs and Labor Day songs which he recorded to send out for Labor Day. After moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee, he met singer and harmonium player, Anoose Taj, who owns Taj International. Together they play Indo-Pak music. Both artists are registered with Allied Arts and have performed for the Tennessee Arts Commission.

When Joe moved to Tennessee, he was introduced to the mountain dulcimer and went on a quest to meet and learn music from rural folk artists. The similarities of the sitar and dulcimer inspired Joe to become an accomplished player and he has won numerous prizes for his dulcimer talent. He has appeared on local and national television, the BBC in England, and various art institutions. Joe has completed an 18-track CD called "South Meets East" This CD mixes East Indian folk music and folk music from the Cumberland Plateau with dulcimer and sitar.

Mountain Dulcimer Teacher/Writer/Performer
from New Albany, Indiana.

For the last seven years, Maureen has taught classes and workshops in the Appalachian dulcimer to hundreds of students in more than sixteen states.

Maureen approaches both her workshops and performances with a warmth and sense of humor that makes the student and audience feel at ease.