Click here to see a full size picture of Mikes dulcimer!
I started playing the hammered dulcimer when I was a kid growing up. My father and I built a small hammered dulcimer from a kit for my mother. I had so much fun building and playing mothers dulcimer that when I graduated from college, my parents bought me a small Green River 12-11 hammered dulcimer kit for me. I played the Green River dulcimer for several years. As my playing skill increased, I soon out grew the 12-11. I looked around at several dulcimer makers and finally purchased the Russell Cook dulcimer shown above. The Russell Cook dulcimer has very clear/crisp tone and sounds great in a Church Sanctuary.
Much of the music I play is Christian. I have been playing in a small family group called Simple Gifts for the past several years. The hammered dulcimer sounds great with a Harp and Guitar. With Simple Gifts I have played in churches, for weddings, and Saturday night gigs.
Our Simple Gifts group has just released a new CD called Moonlight. Listen to a sample music track where I am playing the Hammered Dulcimer (Requires Windows Media Player).
