Dulcimer Players From Harp Festivals

July 7, 2023

Good Morning, Y'all!

WOW! What a week!

KMW was a blast this year! Aly and I got to hang out with a lot of our dulcimer friends. Some of them we hadn't seen since before the virus disrupted the regular festival schedule.

Richard with Sam Edelston and Pixie Wright. These are both well-known/famous dulcimer players whom I first met at Harp festivals. Pixie in Ohio and Sam in New Jersey.

And repairs? Wow!!! It was like you'd been saving up work for me - which I guess many of you had. I ended up turning away a lot of work, and even bringing some dulcimers back to Woodburn (the Folkcraft shop) to do the work here. I was the only one doing repair and set-up work this year and couldn't begin to keep up with the volume of requests.

I started a "repair sign-up-for-your-time-now" campaign back in April, and the people who signed up early got their work done. I fit in as many other folks as I could, but couldn't do it all. I'm sorry some of you were disappointed.

But it was a good time, even with the constant crowds, questions, and shopping. I'm already thinking that I'll bring a luthier from the shop with me next year. Two of us can do a lot more than I can take care of by myself.

Concerts? Awesome! And I miss Bardstown! I had already found my favorite restaurants there! I miss the smaller town environment, too, and the school in Shepherdsville was great! Nancy Barker (festival organizer) did real good with that find, for sure! Organization? There's not a better-run festival anywhere. Classes? Such a selection, utterly amazing. And the people? KMW folks (artists and attendees both) are some of the very best. Overall, this is a superb festival. Definitely consider adding it to your "must-attend" list!

Mandy Tyner serenading the KMW attendees as they gathered for the group photo on Tuesday afternoon.

Getting to go out to dinner with the Folkcraft artists is always fun, too. Me and Aly, plus Bing Futch, Dave Haas, John Keane, Karen Keane, and Mandy Tyner - WOW! How much dulcimer talent does this group of five Folkcraft artists have in their hands and brains? A lot, for sure. It is nice to call them all friends. One of these days, we'll have all seven of them together - we were missing Carol Walker and Wendy Songe this year. Nancy, are you reading this? Or Chuck? (Chuck Moseley is the other festival organizer who could use seven A-list artists at one event, with his superb Black Mountain Music Fest.)

We have a clinic with Bing (here at the Folkcraft shop) tomorrow, then next Wednesday I hit the road to go to the ODPC Funfest in Evart, Michigan. So no rest, just yet...

Thanks for reading - I hope you have a great weekend!

Richard Ash - luthier-who's-worn-out-from-KMW-but-has-a-smile-on-his-face-from-the-experience