Friends of the GODC

           Many of the Grand Old Dulcimer Club Players regularly patronize the following friends. Click the "Learn More" button to go directly to their websites.

Stephen Seifert modestly describes himself as a mountain dulcimer player, but he is much, much more. He is a world-class musician who was a student of and collaborator with David Schnaufer, founder of the Grand Old Dulcimer Club. Stephen travels all over the world to perform and teach, but he lives right here in Nashville. He pops in occasionally to lead the GODC, and when he's in town, you'll be most delighted to take classes from him or listen and watch him play with us. He teaches one-on-one at his home, via workshops, through Skype, and on dulcimerschool.com. Click on the Learn More link below to go to his website. (See featured links page for a link to dulcimerschool.com.)

Bing Futch is another musician/teacher we love to see whenever he is in town; the photo above is with our own Neda. Fun and generous with his skills (see Dulcimerica lessons on Youtube) and a passionate teacher, Bing offers something for everyone, from traditional training for beginners to music for those who want to play "outside the box" and explore the blues and rock on his versatile instrument.  Blues, you ask?  Click the "Learn More" button to go to his website; under the "Music" menu, enjoy the bluesy Red-headed Lover. Rock? Click here to see a July 2017 awesome performance, "Bricks", led by Bing and featuring some well-known musicians including Stephen Seifert.

Tull--even though most of us don't know him personally, we all call this writer, composer, teacher, arranger, and master dulcimer player by his first name as if we were friends, whenever we talk about him within the GODC. It's because so many of us have benefited from Tull's books, his workshops and his generosity with old and new songs and their history on his website. We play his arrangements in the GODC, and were delighted to find out that you can purchase the original WAX documentary from him as well.  Tull wants to remind people that 100% of the proceeds from the sales of WAX go to support the "Dulcimers for David" project, which seeks to get as many dulcimers as possible into the hands of young people who have expressed an interest in learning how to play, as part of David Schnaufer's legacy. Patronize his site below; tell this good friend of ours the GODC sent you.

Nancy Barker explains the mission of the Kentucky Music Institute is “to preserve our legacy of music and the arts by sharing these timeless skills” online for a low cost fee to help support their wonderful mission. The Kentucky Music Institute offers a virtual buffet of online learning experiences from the comfort of home. Music classes, drawing, basket-making, storytelling … it’s all there, and there will be more. Nancy has given so much to the dulcimer world; please make a visit to the Kentucky Music Institute website and help nurture this worthy cause.

The Blair School of Music serves as the focal point within Vanderbilt University for the study of music as a human endeavor and as a performing art. Music offers to all persons a medium for the expression of the human spirit. Accordingly, the Blair School of Music addresses music through a broad array of academic, pedagogical, and performing activities. Consistent with the mission of Vanderbilt University, the School maintains and promotes the highest standards in the pursuit of scholarly and creative work, in the delivery of instruction, and in the promotion of professional and public service. The Anne Potter Wilson Library in the Blair School of Music has an extensive collection of David Schnaufer's papers and materials of interest to scholars as well as fans of Davids. Click the Learn More button to visit Blair's website; start here for a search of the David Schnaufer collection:  http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/music/search.php?all_query=david+schnaufer

Dan Evans is a friend of the GODC from Olney, England. Dan is a multi-talented professional photographer, musician and the leading dulcimer maestro in the U.K.  He has five albums and 16 international tours that share his unique playing style with the world, and is always working on something new. He plays classical finger-style dulcimer to create his own unique style. You can learn more about this gifted musician in the spring quarter Dulcimer Player News. To learn more about Dan and his exquisite music right on his website, click the button below.

For both those new to the mountain dulcimer and veteran players who may be new to Jerry, be sure to get on his mailing list and check out his wonderful music and materials.  He has been an international advocate for the mountain dulcimer since the 1970s. He is a master musician, teacher and custom builder of our favorite instrument.  He lives and works in the Appalachian foothills of southeast Ohio and teaches mountain dulcimer workshops across the country. He is committed to helping his students explore the dulcimer in the deepest and fullest way possible. Jerry specializes in the gentle, soothing and hypnotic sounds of Celtic airs, waltzes and folk tunes, but plays any style. Check him out here in a session for Folk Alley where they interview Jerry and Stephen Seifert between some of our favorite songs. Jerry's latest recordings feature the mesmerizing and almost trance-inducing sounds of the electric dulcimer. For more information on Jerry, click the link below. 

Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop

Mike and Connie Clemmer run the best little music shop around in Townsend, Tennessee.  Their hours are reduced now that Mike is in SEMI-retirement, but the shop, now moved to the back jam building will open May 4 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 to 5, and Mike and Connie will be in and out. Please call before you head to the shop to verify Mike will be there if you need repairs or have other subjects to talk about with him: 865-448-6647. Thanks to the Clemmers for keeping one foot in retirement and one in the store for all their fans!

A wonderful performer and skillful teacher, Sarah is one of the GODC's favorites for her versatility at teaching beginners to advanced to play skillfully and smoothly and even how to play without sheet music for those who value going in that direction.  Visit her website by clicking the link below to learn more about her fascinating story.

Doug is a luthier who makes exquisite dulcimers; a player of both hammered and fretted dulcimers, and an outstanding teacher. For those of us not near his home in Michigan, he teaches via Zoom and make you feel like you’re right there in his living room. Dough has been teaching and making dulcimers since the mid 1970’s. In 1983 he took first place in both the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship and the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in Winfield, Kansas.

Musically Doug finds his inspiration in traditional music of the world, the rock and roll he grew up with, and anything else that pleases his ear. Contact Doug and/or read his blog at the link below.