The 5th annual Lagniappe Dulcimer Fête, held in Port Allen, Louisiana, crowned the first ever LA State Dulcimer Champion at this year's festival. Meet Aaron Thornton and hear one of the tunes he played in the competition-- Turkey in the Straw. More file formats for this video, as well as other dulcimer instruction, can be found at www.robertforce.com
Quintin demonstrates how he has incorporated some techniques of master guitarist, Django Reinhardt,"the King of Gypsy Swing", into a pyro-technic display of flying fingers on his original composition, Avatar, at the Lagniappe Fest in Port Allen, LA. Quintin can be found on the web at http://www.quintinst ephens.com/
Lois demostrates dulcimer techniques on a traditional Cajun two-step tune, the "Hackberry Hop". An intrepid collector of folk tunes and a prolific author with Mel Bay Publications, Lois makes the tune indeed, hop, at the Lagniappe Fest in Port Allen, LA. Lois can be found on the web at http://www.loishornb ostel.com/
Written by Robert in Cabo San José, Mexico, January, 2005. He explains how some of the images developed and uses the tune to illustrate a staccato-stop-string technique, articulating the chord with flat-picking, and how to incorporate the length of the fretboard for different tones.
Robert Force takes his dulcimer and video camera on the road and records some of the sights and sounds of the 5th annual Lagniappe Dulcimer Fête held March 10-12, in Port Allen, Louisiana. More file formats for this video, as well as other dulcimer instruction, is available at www.robertforce.com
Robert discusses the magic window of the United States in the 60' & 70's that allowed folk musicians to emerge as a cultural force-- about how he got started, a bit of the times, his attraction to the dulcimer, and starting a college coffeehouse.
Robert plays "Susanna" on 4 dulcimers simultaneously in this segment and gives a little history behind the instruments.
View and listen to more at
www.robertforce.c om
Robert talks about driving the pink Capri to the Sigma Nu house in Knoxville, Tenn. He asks the frat boys if they had ever seen a dulcimer. Sure!, they say, and direct him to Union Grove , NC. where he experiences his first bluegrass festival.
Union Grove Fiddlers Convention, NC, Easter 1971. Robert meets Jerry Beal of the Farkleberry Farm Steam Dulcimerworks and Music Emporium. Learns there is another dulcimer player at the festival. Seeks out and finds Albert d'Ossché.
Robert discussses hitchiking back from Berea, KY, to Belingham, WA to "woodshed". He re-enrolls in college and begins to pursue an academic understanding of the roots of the instrument and the culture-- enter Dr. Dulcimer!
Jerry proposes Robert come to Newark, Ohio, learn to build dulcimers, and travel to festivals to help sell them. Two days later Robert shows up. He trades his Lincoln to a man named Lincoln for a backpack and sleeping bag. He meets Ann Grimes in Granville. OH.
More on the magic window of the late 60's through the late 70's that helped folk music enter the popular mainstream. In 1971, Robert buys a pink, 1954 Lincoln Capri and drives into the heart of Appalachia, continuing his search for the Wild Dulcimer.
Robert plays 4 dulcimers simultaneously
(this one's kind of an outtake to the original session due to cat-interference)
for more go to
www.robertforce.c om
![Robert Force Plays \"Did You?\"](http://img.youtube.com/vi/gqmT2rXF35g/2.jpg "Robert Force Plays \\"Did You?\\"")
