Louisville Dulcimer Society Builds Friendship Through Music
Betty Hansel, a member of the Louisville Dulcimer Society, took piano lessons as a child, played guitar in college and participated in choir most of her life. Years later, she went through a divorce and had a daughter to raise.
The circumstances and need for community brought music back into her life in a big way.
“I learned how to play the dulcimer through this group and my daughter could go and enjoy it with me,” Hansel says. “She grew up going to our gatherings and it was a good family thing to do.”
That’s how most people find the group. Through retirement or other life changes, they look for something to do for connection, activity and friendship.
The Louisville Dulcimer Society has been in existence for approximately five decades. The musicians meet weekly, practice together and often perform together at various events across Louisville and beyond.
“It all started with Nancy Barker and her lessons at the Doo Wop Shop,” Hansel says. “Several of our members took lessons from her around 50 years ago. People had so much fun, they wanted to play more often and to perform, and that’s how the society was born.”
A dulcimer is a stringed folk instrument with two different varieties. The hammered dulcimer has strings over a trapezoidal shape, and the musician strikes the strings with two small hammers.
The second variety is the Appalachian dulcimer, a narrower version with three to five strings and played similar to the guitar.
Hansel says it’s an American instrument, created by immigrants from Europe, Scotland, Ireland and other countries in search of the sound they were accustomed to. When musicians such as Jean Ritchie, dubbed the “Mother of Folk” in the 1930s and ’40s, brought the dulcimer into their recorded music, it cemented the instrument into folk music culture.
“A dulcimer could be made out of a shed in the backyard if you wanted,” Hansel adds. “Of course, the ones we have today are beautiful, handcrafted workmanship, but back then, they could easily make and sell dulcimers and the family had something they could sing along with. Sort of a back-porch instrument.”
The Louisville Dulcimer Society created a place for musicians to practice their skills and share music with others.
When Hansel joined, they were hosting potluck dinners. Everyone brought their children, and entire families joined in on the jam sessions.
Over time, things changed. Now, they get together once per week, and a few times per year they schedule those popular potluck community gatherings.
One might think this is an exclusive group, however, you don’t have to play the dulcimer to join the society.
“Anything that doesn’t plug in is welcome,” Hansel says. “We have lap dulcimers, hand dulcimers, banjos, guitars, penny whistles and other instruments. You might be surprised at how good it sounds. If I walk away and come back, I’m always amazed at how all of these instruments complement each other.”
At the weekly Louisville Dulcimer Society session, all are invited to come and play, sit down and listen to the music, or bring your own instrument and they’ll teach you too.
“A lot of people have a dulcimer that hangs over their mantle and they don’t know what to do with it,” Hansel says. “If you’ve never played and you walk in with one, we’ll show you how.”
Over the years, the society has met at local churches but has settled at the Jeffersontown Senior Center Ballroom for the past several.
“We sit in a circle and play music,” Hansel says. “There’s a list of songs selected each week so we can know them ahead of time, and when we finish the list, we start picking tunes like a jam session.”
Approximately 20 to 40 people attend, depending on the time of year, and the group continues to grow.
“I think it’s getting more and more popular,” Hansel adds. “I play with other jam sessions in the city and they are all growing. A lot of young people are really getting into the folk music and bluegrass.”
More than 25 years ago, several members of the club suggested taking a weekend to get away and play their music.
They formed the Ohio Valley Gathering and rented rooms in areas across Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.
“The first time, I think 500 people came out,” Hansel says. “It was our group and similar clubs that wanted to participate. We will play together and then often break into groups for a beginner class or to teach new songs. I’m doing a dulcimer finger-picking class at our next one. We’ll also have guest speakers: someone to come in and show how to string your instrument or how to care for them.”
They spread their love of music through the community by playing a few times per month at nursing homes, churches and other community gatherings.
“We don’t charge for performances, we are all volunteer, but we do accept donations,” Hansel says. “We have a membership fee of $20 per year per family and it’s just so we can pay for the insurance and rent the space for practices.”
They also have an instrument sale each year. Not only does it raise funds for the society, but it supports budding musicians. It’s popular among dulcimer club members in the area. They can purchase instruments at a discounted price and those looking to learn a new instrument can get a great deal.
Most importantly, the men and women of the Louisville Dulcimer Society simply enjoy sharing their love of music.
“It’s always a fun time and the whole thing is about enjoying music together and playing together,” Hansel says.
The Louisville Dulcimer Society meets every Sunday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Jeffersontown Senior Center Ballroom.
For more information, visit louisvilledulcimersociety.org.
