Instructors

We are bringing you nationally-recognized instructors to help you get the most out of your playing.

2024 In-Person Instructors

Joe Collins (Shelby, NC) August 1 (Thursday) Joe Collins (Mountain Dulcimer workshops and concert) fell in love with the mountain dulcimer back in 1978. At the time he was doing occasional coffeehouses as a college student in eastern North Carolina, and a good friend thought that he might be interested in tackling another instrument besides the guitar. He took her little instrument home, and she did not get it back for three years! Today, he plays a lot less guitar and lot more dulcimer than in those early days. After competing successfully in several competitions over a ten-year period, he won the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in 2007 in Winfield, KS. Over the past twenty-five years, he has had the opportunity to teach and play in festivals from California to the east coast, from Florida to Vermont, and a lot of places in between. Joe has recorded 7 CDs and published 16 mountain dulcimer books. A folk musician and mountain dulcimer player since the late 70s, Joe combines mountain dulcimer wizardry with good, solid vocals. He is a songwriter and vocalist, inspired by artists like Simon & Garfunkle, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson. But as he grows older and pudgier, he realizes that perhaps the most profound influence on his musical bent was the old Burle Ives records he listened to over and over again as a kid. His performances are sprinkled with a lot of humor and some excellent mountain dulcimer playing - sure to bring a smile to audiences of all ages. Joe graduated from East Carolina University with Bachelor and Masters degrees in English, from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity with Religious Education, and from NC State University with a Doctorate in Adult Education. He worked in Religious Education for most of his professional career and is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC. Since retiring from teaching, he has been working full-time as a dulcimer instructor, performer, and sales manager of New Harmony Dulcimers.

David & Annette Lindsey (Bennington, OK) Mar 9 (Saturday) David & Annette Lindsey (Mountain and Hammered Dulcimer workshops and concert) David first discovered the hammered dulcimer in June of 1978 while vacationing at Silver Dollar City, Missouri. Later that summer he bought a dulcimer kit, put it together, and taught himself to play. Right away David realized he was looking for a different sound than the kit had, so in November of that year he built his first dulcimer from scratch. Meanwhile, Annette became interested in the mountain dulcimer when visiting Mountain View, Arkansas, when she and David discovered the Ozark Folk Center in April of 1979. After purchasing a mountain dulcimer, David and Annette helped found the Sweet Song String Band, a group that is still active today. While playing in those early days, audience members began to ask where they could purchase a hammered dulcimer, and join the growing community of players for themselves. Once they learned that David had built his own dulcimer he was asked to make dulcimers for them – and their business, David’s Dulcimers, was born. David and Annette travel all over the United States performing, instructing, and selling hammered and mountain dulcimers. They are privileged at times to get to perform with their daughters, Angie and Cara. Cara is continuing David’s love for playing the hammered dulcimer as well as learning the trade of making them. She has been working with David in the shop and building dulcimers with him since 2004. The family enjoys playing and singing old-time and gospel songs, and all are very involved in the Red River Valley Dulcimer Club, and run the Winter Creek Reunion Dulcimer Festival held every year in October at their farm and dulcimer shop in Bennington, Oklahoma, and the Red River Dulcimer Festival held every August in Red River, NM. Their favorite thing to do is to help others find the love for the music that changed their lives so completely that day back in 1978.

(More events to be announced.)