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Lee Cagle's Blue Smoke Risin' on the Mountain -- Dulcimer News and Information, Memphis, Tennessee

This site houses the official webpage for The Memphis Dulcimer Gathering, Inc., and sponsored events in the Memphis area.

Summer Music Camp for Youth 2009

The Memphis Dulcimer Gathering & Folk Festival 2009

EVENTS CALENDAR          MOUNTAIN DULCIMER CLASSES          BOOKS/ACCESSORIES
 
 
 
 
Dulcimer Forums        Memphis Dulcimer Gathering, Inc.          Quotes          Recommended Links

Click here to join the mailing list for notices about dulcimer and folk music events.
 
 
 
 

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LISTEN TO THE MOUNTAIN DULCIMER!

                 Follow your dulcimer dreams!
 
     Welcome to the wonderful world of the
     dulcimer and folk music.  This site will
     provide information, photos and tips
     about playing this fabulous instrument
     that was invented in the mountains of
     Southern Appalachia and the songs and
     tunes that inspired the instrument.
 

 
My family is from Maryville, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.  My Uncle Bob taught me old folk songs as we hiked in the mountains and traveled to wonderful places in the area.  I have been playing dulcimer since 1988, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  The music has introduced me to many close friends in the folk music community, and I have enjoyed traveling from the Ozarks to the Blue Ridge Mountains playing with other dulcimer players, as well as a host of other folk instruments, including the hammered dulcimer, mandolin, autoharp, banjo, guitar -- even the kazoo!
 

Click here for a slideshow on mountain dulcimer

 
 

To schedule a performance for your group or event,
call Lee at 901-877-7763 or click here to send an e-mail.
You can view my performance schedule by clicking the link above.

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I am available to teach workshops for your festival or club.  Click here for bio information and a list of workshop titles and descriptions.

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   Group Classes  
 
There will be several opportunities to take mountain dulcimer classes each fall and spring.  Group classes are at Union University,  2745 Hacks Cross Road, in Germantown through Germantown Parks and Recreation.  Loaner dulcimers are available for those who are interested in trying before they invest in an instrument.
 
In addition, I have been invited by Southwest Tennessee Community College to join the staff of their continuing education department as an adjunct professor.  New Players classes are held at the Macon Road campus (at Sycamore View and I-40).
 
 
I am also available to schedule private lessons throughout the year.  A half-hour lesson is $30;  one hour for $50.  Call 901-877-7763 to schedule your lesson or click here to send me a message.
 
Feel free to call me at 901-877-7763, send me an e-mail , or send me a letter at P.O. Box 224, Moscow, TN 38057, if you have questions.

TABLATURE, CDs, WORKSHOPS SERIES
 
 
 

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BEGINNER'S BOOK FOR NEW PLAYERS!  New 2nd edition with instructional CD!
Blue Smoke Risin' on the Mountain is my book for the beginning dulcimer player, and the second edition is now available.  This latest edition includes new chapters on the history of the mountain dulcimer and how modes are applied to the instrument.  The provides step-by-step instruction for playing and tuning the dulcimer, using the methods from my classes.  The best part -- the all new instructional CD includes oral instruction for getting started, playing, and strumming.  It also includes play-along recordings of the songs from the book.  The book contains tablature for seven different songs, with DAA and DAD tunings for each.  Also included is an arrangement of Amazing Grace in the key of G.  The CD includes 19 tracks of instruction and songs and makes learning even easier by allowing the student to hear the tunes and to play along with the CD as you learn. 
 
Songs included (all songs in both DAA and DAD, and all songs include suggested strumming patterns):  Amazing Grace; Amazing Grace (DGD); Bile Them Cabbage Down; Gray Cat on a Tennessee Farm; Liza Jane; Soldier's Joy; Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Wildwood Flower. 
 
Book/CD set $20 (plus $4 postage).
Book only $12 (plus $3.50 postage).
 
To order, mail checks to me at P.O. Box 224, Moscow, TN 38057.  Questions?  Write to me by clicking the "Write to Lee" link at the top of the page or call 901-877-7763.

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Betty Dawson

 
 
Are you interested in Hammered Dulcimer Lessons?
Betty Dawson offers private lessons and will also be joining me as an adjunct professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Contact Betty Dawson, Hammered Dulcimer Instructor

BettyDawsonDulcimer.com

Steve, Lee, Betty & John
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CD Release Party, November 19, 2007

Betty, Butch Odom, and Lee at the
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Calvary Festival of Ministries

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Lee at Franklin Park

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Lee & Betty at Hope & Healing

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Lee at Midtown Galleries

The video below was taken at a children's choir camp.

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"The Water is Wide" CD from Lee Cagle and Betty Dawson, with friends Steve Newman and John Albertson.  All proceeds from the sale of the CD benefit The Church Health Center of Memphis.  CDs are $15 and can be purchased locally from Lee Cagle (send me an e-mail or call 901-877-7763); The Episcopal Bookshop, 672 Poplar; or Cokesbury Books, 6150 Poplar Avenue.  Click the photo link on the right to learn more about our volunteer project and to hear songs from the CD.
 
To order from me, send check or money order to Lee Cagle, P.O. Box 224, Moscow, TN 38057.
CD only: $15 plus $3 shipping (Total $18)
Tablature Book only:  $15 plus $3 shipping (Total $18)
CD and Tab Book:  $30 plus $4.50 shipping (Total $34.50)
All proceeds from sale of the CD goes to Church Health Center.

 
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Learn about Mountain Dulcimer Camp

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Click here for information on The Memphis Area Mountain Dulcimer Club

BACK TO TOP

What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are small matters compared to what lies within us.  -- Emerson

More quotes . . .

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR MORE INFO
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Also available:  The Water is Wide Tablature Book for Mountain Dulcimer.  Play along with the CD!  $15 (plus $3 shipping).

BEGINNER'S BOOK FOR NEW PLAYERS!  New 2nd edition with instructional CD!
Blue Smoke Risin' on the Mountain is my book for the beginning dulcimer player, and the second edition is now available.  This latest edition includes new chapters on the history of the mountain dulcimer and how modes are applied to the instrument.  The provides step-by-step instruction for playing and tuning the dulcimer, using the methods from my classes.  The best part -- the all new instructional CD includes oral instruction for getting started, playing, and strumming.  It also includes play-along recordings of the songs from the book.  The book contains tablature for seven different songs, with DAA and DAD tunings for each.  Also included is an arrangement of Amazing Grace in the key of G.  The CD includes 19 tracks of instruction and songs and makes learning even easier by allowing the student to hear the tunes and to play along with the CD as you learn. 
 
Songs included (all songs in both DAA and DAD, and all songs include suggested strumming patterns):  Amazing Grace; Amazing Grace (DGD); Bile Them Cabbage Down; Gray Cat on a Tennessee Farm; Liza Jane; Soldier's Joy; Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Wildwood Flower. 
 
Book/CD set $20 (plus $4 postage).
Book only $12 (plus $3.50 postage).
 
To order, mail checks to me at P.O. Box 224, Moscow, TN 38057.  Questions?  Click here to write to me or call 901-877-7763.

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Maag and Lee at Cullowhee, NC

During the summers of 2003, 2004, and 2005, I travelled to Cullowhee, NC, to attend a weeklong workshop on techniques for playing mountain dulcimer.   I have met players from as far away as NY, Canada and Australia.  Each year brings new and exciting aspects to my playing and teaching.  For information about Dulcimer Week at WCU, go to http://cess.wcu.edu/dulcimer.

I play a Blue Lion mountain dulcimer by Bob and Janita Baker.  You should, too!
 
 
 
 

I came across but one singer who sang to an instrumental accompaniment, the guitar, and that was in Charlottesville, Va.  Mrs. Campbell, however, tells me that in Kentucky, where I have not yet collected, singers occasionally play an instrument called the dulcimer, a shallow, wooden box, with four sound-holes, in shape somewhat like a flat, elongated violin, over which are strung three (sometimes four) metal strings, the two (or three) lower of which are tonic-drones, the melody being played upon the remaining and uppermost string which is fretted.  As the strings are plucked with the fingers and not struck with a hammer, the instrument would, I suppose, be more correctly called a psaltery. -- Cecil J. Sharp in his introduction to English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, co-authored with Olive Dame Campbell and published in 1917

Write to Lee

All content copyright 2000-2008 C. Lee Cagle unless otherwise indicated.