Folkcraft Player - Gary Bentley

To all Folk Instrument lovers,

My name is Gary, and this is my dulcimer:

It is a Folkcraft teardrop dated 11/17/78 according to a label inside. I must have purchased it soon after that, from:

in New Britain, PA. It appears to be Cherry and is still in excellent condition. I am retired due to a heart attack 6 years ago from the health insurance business where I searched for underpaid claims and tried to squeeze more money out of the company. On nights and weekends I served as an itinerant pastor for churches without a pastor.

I was also an area chaplain to the Boy Scouts and also their first aid instructor. Out of 13 competitions between troops for first aid skills, my boys won 9. My wife Darlene (of 39 years) and I were for many years docents at a local historic site (Gen. Washington's HQ for the attack on Germantown).


She was the spinner, I was the gentry, the village weaver, or as here, in the PA militia of rifles (the sniper corps with our Virginia brothers). She is trying to learn the Davidic (10 string) harp.

As for the dulcimer, I play strictly in the traditional style with a noter. I mainly play in my home although I have played for shut-ins at nursing homes. I play mainly hymns and Christmas carols. I don't sing along. Some say that I should sing on the stage, the one for Denver leaves in 5 minutes. For someone with so many music majors for friends, it is odd that my idea of carrying a tune is holding the sheet music. I would like to find a source for the tablature for songs in the noter style.

Cheers,

Gary