Jul 29, 2015 the littlest dulcimer july 29, 2015 maylee at beyond gumbo interesting stories and people 2 comments marie williams, lagniappe dulcimer society member, has several mountain dulcimers including standard, small, little and tiny. Dave has released seven dulcimer instructional bookscds, four instrumental. As previously stated, the mize dulcimer was originally located in the birthplace of country music museum before they split into two museums. Jean ritchie brought a mountain dulcimer out of the hills of kentucky to new york city where it was discovered by an entire new generation of musicians. Then in a video on the influence of church music we saw the poff family singing in a church service and one of the girls is playing a dulcimer. Jean ritchies the dulcimer book has an old photograph of mrs. Marie williams, lagniappe dulcimer society member, has several mountain dulcimers including standard, small, little and tiny. Browse our selection of mountain dulcimer tablature and music books below. The ritchie family was very much a part of the appalachian folk tradition, and had committed over 300 songs including hymns, traditional love songs, ballads, childrens game songs, etc. We build standard, bass, baritone, acoustic jam and soprano fretted dulcimers and offer dulcimer strings and other dulcimerrelated accessories. Played flat like a traditional dulcimer, but with a wooden banjo head and a very big banjo sound. Songs featured include, go tell aunt rhody, the cuckoo, goin. Learn to play mountain dulcimer with a dulcimer book from.
Jean ritchie has been an inspirational pioneer and advocate for the mountain dulcimer and it is a pity that the marketing of both these products could have been better. In the early 1960s, ritchie and her partner george pickow began distributing dulcimers made by her kentucky. These were sung as lining out songs, in a lingering soulful way. Traditional mountain dulcimer by jean ritchie softcover. I was fortunate in having found a copy of the dulcimer book by jean ritchie, without which my dulcimer would probably still be hanging, unused, on a wall. These double strings play the melody while the other two are.
My first dulcimer was definitely a starter, but i have played a blue lion dulcimer since i purchased one from janita at the old memphis dulcimer festival in about 1992. There were moments when i heard people like jean ritchie sing so. The appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or. Dulcimer lessons with mark gilston black eyed susie. Because our mp3s have no drm, you can play it on any device that supports mp3, even on your ipod. I, luckily, came by it used though in likenew condition. Traditional mountain dulcimer by jean ritchie, other format. This easy and immediately playable introduction to the mountain dulcimer will get anyone playing, regardless of prior musical experience. Aug 27, 2014 unas sister, the folk singer and dulcimer player jean ritchie b. Played like a banjo with a neck and wooden banjo head, but is fretted like a dulcimer and much easier to play than a banjo. Fretted dulcimer for sale posted 318 by kathy rose phone 7607261742 san diego area blue lion fretted dulcimer for sale. A lovely collection of 50 tunes from sweden, norway, denmark and finland arranged for mountain dulcimer by virtuoso musician and national dulcimer champion, mark gilston. See more ideas about mountain dulcimer, dulcimer music and dulcimer tablature.
Jean ritchie and appalachian folk music happy birthday jean, american. The ground covered is similar but more comprehensive than that covered in jean ritchies folkways record the appalachian dulcimer. Modal tunings contribute to the dulcimers curiously foreign sound, creating that simultaneous strangeness and familiarity that is the charm of so much folk music. This book teaches beginners how to tune a play the dulcimer, and features illustrations, drawings, and recollections of the dulcimer s local history. A photo of my bljritchie dulcimer can be seen here. Articles by jean ritchie a dulcimer round from jean ritchie. As well as work songs and ballads, jean knew hymns from the regular baptist church she attended in jeff, kentucky.
See more ideas about mountain dulcimer, dulcimer music and mountain music. School me on the mountain dulcimer the acoustic guitar forum. Our family still cherishes and sings the songs they brought with them. This dulcimer is based on the blue lion bass and baritone body shape, but with less body height, a 26 14 scale and guitartype bridge pin string attachments.
Her career bridged traditional and modern forms of folk music. The dulcimer is a very simple instrument to play and provides a haunting, mountain sound. Oct 21, 2019 jean ritchie december 8, 1922 june 1, 2015 was an american folk singer and appalachian dulcimer player. Of course, what makes a given dulcimer book effective is partly a matter of. A charming and lowkey affair, mountain born has the usual traditional pieces drawn from the ritchie family songbook, but it also has a higher than normal. Our family ancestors came over from england, scotland, ireland, the earliest ones we know of arrived in 1768. She was born into a singing family in viper, kentucky, in the cumberland mountains of the eastern part of the state. Jean ritchie writes beautifully of her own history with the dulcimer, a history that any dulcimer lover will want to know. The back, sides and peghead and tailpiece are the last pieces of wood left from the same board used to construct the first dulcimer we made for jean ritchie. Shop and buy traditional mountain dulcimer sheet music. It is a traditionally styled appalachian mountain dulcimer built to jean s specifications. The dulcimer book by jean ritchie softcover sheet music for.
Woody knows nothin but peckin on the bough, ah but the skies of blue. The lower bout on the bass side was completely destroyed so this was the patch used. Although jean ritchie is associated with the appalachian lap dulcimer, an instrument she largely introduced along with richard farina to the emerging folk revival of the 1960s, she seldom features it on more than a handful of tracks on her many albums. The youngest child of balis ritchie and the former abigail hall, jean ruth ritchie was born on dec. I play noterdrone style music on it and like its ease of play. Dulcimer vol i instrumental solo and ensemble selections of traditional, contemporary, original, classical, jazz, and celtic music, featuring. Along with some general dulcimer history the signage with the mize dulcimer states, this dulcimer was made by robert r. Blue lion mountain dulcimers we own a blue lion bass dulcimer and love it as well. You will learn the basics of music, including tunings, modes, strums, accompaniment techniques and other essential knowledge. Heres a link to a wonderful article about bob and janita baker, who make the fine dulcimers featured here at wildwood music.
It is a traditionally styled appalachian mountain dulcimer built to jeans. An instructional record fi 8352 from 1964 released on cd in 2007. Jean ritchie, ky, nyc best known, player, builder, teacher, collector, author perhaps no one has done more to popularize the mountain dulcimer than the great jean ritchie. Crafted to celebrate the anniversary of blue lion dulcimers guitars in santa margarita, this dulcimer. We build standard, bass, baritone, acoustic jam and soprano fretted dulcimers and offer dulcimer strings and other dulcimer related accessories. The song has been in our family for many generations. As she tells it, this led to her forever being asked at performances and appearances, which album has the most dulcimer. The dulcimer book by jean ritchie softcover sheet music. The story of the blue lion dulcimer for some time, i had wanted a koa dulcimer built by bob and janita baker of blue lion instruments.
Mize for the carter family during the 1971 celebration, this dulcimer was to. Jean ritchie, the recipient of the bess lomax hawes national heritage fellowship, is a significant musician and songwriter, as well as a cultural activist and chronicler of her home region. Mailing address cedar creek dulcimers 408 river bluff dr. Her career formed a kind of bridge between the traditional and modern forms of folk music. Mcspadden dulcimers mcspadden dulcimers specialty is the mountain dulcimer. Richard farina blended several different styles of dulcimer playing. Dec 06, 2009 jean ritchie was born into a large and musical family in viper, kentucky in 1922.
Next we saw a large display with a photo of jean ritchie playing her dulcimer. And the instrument was a custom order so is not exactly what you will see on the blue lion website. Born and raised in viper, kentucky, jean was the youngest in a musical family of fourteen children born to bailis and abigail ritchie. Blue lion instruments builders of fine, handcrafted, mountain dulcimers and acoustic guitars. Marie named the very little dulcimer itty bitty and it is her newest acquisition. Appalachian balladeer and folklorist jean ritchie possessed a high. It also includes music and lyrics for 16 songs from the ritchie family of kentucky. Her method of playing does not sync with mine something ive since learned is due to the folk revival of the 70s and the new methods of playing old. This book teaches beginners how to tune a play the dulcimer, and features illustrations, drawings, and recollections of the dulcimers local history. Style i style ii jean ritchie force dossche 6 string bass baritone 6 string bass acoustic jam soprano. I couldnt find it anywhere on youtube so i made my own. We are proud and honored to be the authorized builders of the jean ritchie dulcimer. In her book, dulcimer people, jean ritchie recalls how she first taught him the dulcimer.
Jean ritchie celebrated her 50th year as a performer of her beloved appalachian songs in 1995, and mountain born, which features ritchie with her two sons, peter and jonathan pickow, was sort of a commemorative release to mark the occasion. Oct 09, 2015 i was fortunate in having found a copy of the dulcimer book by jean ritchie, without which my dulcimer would probably still be hanging, unused, on a wall. The youngest of 14 children, she studied at viper high school and cumberland college. Mystery lyrics of nottamun town and the music of jean ritchie. Contact us site map about blue lion ordering info shipping rates current price list. A repair on a blue lion jean ritchie model mountain dulcimer.
This dulcimer is based on the blue lion bass and baritone body shape, but with less body height, a 26 14 scale and. An instructional record, an album by jean ritchie on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. A fter that we came across a large board that visitors can drawwrite something of their experience at the museum. The dulcimer only has four strings, with two of them being doubled and tuned to the same note. Jean ritchies dulcimer people by jean ritchie, 1975, oak publications edition, in english. Ruth barrett is an internationally known mountain dulcimer artist and. Included with the instrument is the hard case pictured, plus a few dulcimer picks and a humidifier. Jun 03, 2015 the youngest child of balis ritchie and the former abigail hall, jean ruth ritchie was born on dec. For fit and finish, the quality of the instrument is very very good. Jean ruth ritchie december 8, 1922 june 1, 2015 was an american folk music singer, songwriter, and appalachian dulcimer player. Official website of jessica comeau, mountain dulcimer instructor, player and singer for special events, concerts, and workshops.
Traditional mountain dulcimer taught by jean ritchie book. Anyone, regardless of musical experience, will be able to play the songs and tunes that jean teaches. I wrote this hammer dulcimer tune, which is used as the opening instrumental for. Shes holding the smallest, playable dulcimer ive ever seen. Read the dulcimer book by jean ritchie available from rakuten kobo. Learning to play dulcimers gila mountain dulcimers. She writes knowingly and well about many dulcimer players and makers, providing background information that can only come from someone who knew these people. Unas sister, the folk singer and dulcimer player jean ritchie b. Traditional mountain dulcimer by jean ritchie, other. Jun 19, 2019 jean ritchie s dulcimer people by jean ritchie, 1975, oak publications edition, in english. Mountain dulcimer tab book with 16 tunes recorded by patsy cline. Mp3 is a digital audio format without digital rights management drm technology. David schnaufer, gary gallier, mark nelson, neal hellman, janita baker, mike casey, jean ritchie and many more.
1420 188 586 1575 820 99 626 1162 1029 279 239 138 1202 165 999 132 203 434 143 576 59 785 789 875 1348 1194 149 60 445 342 835 139 64