Margaret's Dulcimers

I began playing dulcimer in 1960 when Sandra Simonson loaned me her rare J. Edward Thomas dulcimer made in 1917. Although I returned it when she moved away, she presented it to me as a gift years later after a concert I gave in Chicago. My earlier recordings were made with a reproduction of that dulcimer made by my husband John and one made for me by Martin Mager of New Hampshire. I keep my Vermont butternut instrument made by Jeremy Seeger in a lower register. Walter Martin gave me a beautiful Sunhearth; he had saved special wood for the treasure.

My concerts and workshops at dulcimer festivals across the country include Southern California Solstice Festival, Southern Acoustic Music Festival in Houston,Texas , Cranberry in Binghampton, NY, Dulcimer Daze in Vermont, Blue Mountain Lake in NY, Memphis Dulcimer Society, and Winterfest in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

The recording Masters of the Appalachian Dulcimer on Susan Trump Music contains an instrumental medley of mine, Droning Mrs. Gobier and Old Christmas.

  She has a fine fingerpicking style of playing, weaving counter melody, chords, and a moving bass line together to compliment her singing of the melody.

Bill Collins, Brandywine Dulcimer Fellowship.