Archive for June, 2010
Woody Guthrie’s Lasting Legacy
Although there are many folk heroes of the American music scene, Woody Guthrie was a true titan among men. He grew up in dire poverty on the Oklahoma prairie and began collecting the regional songs he heard older people performing. This marked the beginning of Guthrie’s legacy as both a songwriter and a musical historian. He kept many traditional songs from dying out completely over time, using everything from mandolins to harmonicas.
In 1940, he wrote “This Land Is Your Land,” a song that’s still identified with American civic pride. During his later years, Guthrie focused on writing protest songs in response to the social injustices he perceived in the world around him. He also inspired and mentored the young Bob Dylan. Woody Guthrie will forever be remembered for his ability to capture the spirit of the times in his folk music.
For those unacquainted with the dulcimer, the first line of business is to point out that two distinct instruments carry the moniker. An Appalachian dulcimer, also referred to as a mountain dulcimer, is a stringed instrument that was highly popularized in American music during the 1800s. Typically, the instrument is played by placing it on your lap, allowing for strumming and fretting from that position. While the instrument experienced a resurgence in the 1950s thanks to folk music, it has never been able to garner mainstream acclaim.
The other type of dulcimer is the hammered dulcimer, and it bares little resemblance to its counterpart. While also being a stringed instrument, the hammered dulcimer is a trapezoidal board and played by striking the individual strings with small mallets. Although the origins of the instrument remain obscure, it is believed to be a relative of the santur from Persia.