Who is Jon Kay?
Some people say that I have created a distinctive sound and style of fretted
dulcimer music. Some listeners have even referred to me at the "Jimi Hendrix
of the dulcimer." I don’t know about that, but I try to get the fullest and
best sound I can from my instrument. That is what this blog is about. How to
get the most out of your dulcimer. I thought I would share this rewrite of
my biography. For any of you that might want to know who is writing this
stuff.
I began playing the dulcimer in 1987, while working for Bill and Laura Berg at Mountain Made Music, in my hometown of Nashville, Indiana. During my four year tenure at this dulcimer shop, I developed his style of playing the dulcimer based on the Berg's five string dulcimer. While I was busy selling in the summer and fall, I would spend the winter days mostly just playing the dulcimer. On snowy days would often play for six or seven hours straight, waiting for someone to come into the store." My finger-style approach blends the rolling technique of a five-string banjo, while trying to coax the tonal qualities of classical guitar. When I first started playing, I listen to dulcimer recordings in Mountain Made and couldn't believe the sounds they were getting out of the simple little instrument. I thought, I want to play like that. It wasn't until later that I realized that the recording had a guitar or another instrument playing along. So, I guess, you could say, I didn't know I was doing anything different, at first.I influenced by the new acoustic movement of the 1980s. While working at the music store, I listened to various "new age" and contemporary folk artists, including, Michael Hedges, Patrick Ball and Metamora. In 1988, I met dulcimer legend Neal Hellman, who confirmed Kay's dedication to finger-style dulcimer music. Neal is still one of my musical mentors. At this time I also started writing my own material. Soon my compositions and arrangements became inextricably link to my unique technique. In 1991, I recorded my first album, Richard's Wake, a collection of original compositions and arrangements. The recording explored the sparse beauty of solo dulcimer. I was trying to invest my music with a musical and textural depth that could make it sound like two or three instruments. I was trying to create a Windham Hill-style recording that showed the beauty of the instrument with out over-editing, over-arranging or even over-dubbing. It is minimal music; it's me playing the dulcimer in front of two microphones. I wanted it to be about me and the instrument, not about a studio or a band. I re-released this recording as October Dreams, the title of the first cut on the album. In 1991, I left Mountain Made Music, to try my hand as a full-time dulcimer player. For three years I made his living playing dulcimer at festivals, coffeehouses, schools, bookstores, retreat centers, weddings and even funerals. While selling dulcimers at the Yellow Banks Dulcimer Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky, I met Dick "Richard" Albin, who invited me to play at the following Great American Dulcimer Convention in Pine Mountain, Kentucky. Albin not only encouraged me to play more, but offered advice on being a performer.
I took this input to heart and started developing a more holistic show that blend my unique brand of music and storytelling which allowed me to take my music to a much wider audience.I won the Midwest Dulcimer Championship in Avoca, Iowa in 1992. That same year, I opened for many acoustic masters including Norman and Nancy Blake, Peter Rowan, John Hartford, and Tony Rice. I found myself playing dulcimer for audiences unfamiliar with the instrument. "I was really lucky. And it helped being the new kid on the block. I was one of the first Gen-X dulcimer players. Now days there are many great young players that are doing amazing things on the instrument."
In 1995, I quit touring and playing out very much. I went to graduate school at Western Kentucky University, where I received my master’s degree in Folk Studies. I then went to work for the Florida Park Service as a folklorist and later directed the Florida Folk Festival a huge event. It was while I was working in Florida I started playing a little more. I hosted several dulcimer retreats teaching workshops and meeting a lot of great players, many for the first time. I also met David Beede an incredible dulcimer builder and player. I am currently playing one of his instruments that he made to my specifications.
I left Florida this last summer and moved back to my hometown of Nashville, Indiana. I received a great job as the director of Traditional Arts Indiana, the state folklife program for Indiana. I knew that I wanted to keep my hand in music, but my new job was not going to allow for much time to teach or perform very much. So I started this blog to allow me to organize my thoughts about dulcimer and to try to stay in touch with folks and teach a little along the way.
Well that’s more than enough for now.
I began playing the dulcimer in 1987, while working for Bill and Laura Berg at Mountain Made Music, in my hometown of Nashville, Indiana. During my four year tenure at this dulcimer shop, I developed his style of playing the dulcimer based on the Berg's five string dulcimer. While I was busy selling in the summer and fall, I would spend the winter days mostly just playing the dulcimer. On snowy days would often play for six or seven hours straight, waiting for someone to come into the store." My finger-style approach blends the rolling technique of a five-string banjo, while trying to coax the tonal qualities of classical guitar. When I first started playing, I listen to dulcimer recordings in Mountain Made and couldn't believe the sounds they were getting out of the simple little instrument. I thought, I want to play like that. It wasn't until later that I realized that the recording had a guitar or another instrument playing along. So, I guess, you could say, I didn't know I was doing anything different, at first.I influenced by the new acoustic movement of the 1980s. While working at the music store, I listened to various "new age" and contemporary folk artists, including, Michael Hedges, Patrick Ball and Metamora. In 1988, I met dulcimer legend Neal Hellman, who confirmed Kay's dedication to finger-style dulcimer music. Neal is still one of my musical mentors. At this time I also started writing my own material. Soon my compositions and arrangements became inextricably link to my unique technique. In 1991, I recorded my first album, Richard's Wake, a collection of original compositions and arrangements. The recording explored the sparse beauty of solo dulcimer. I was trying to invest my music with a musical and textural depth that could make it sound like two or three instruments. I was trying to create a Windham Hill-style recording that showed the beauty of the instrument with out over-editing, over-arranging or even over-dubbing. It is minimal music; it's me playing the dulcimer in front of two microphones. I wanted it to be about me and the instrument, not about a studio or a band. I re-released this recording as October Dreams, the title of the first cut on the album. In 1991, I left Mountain Made Music, to try my hand as a full-time dulcimer player. For three years I made his living playing dulcimer at festivals, coffeehouses, schools, bookstores, retreat centers, weddings and even funerals. While selling dulcimers at the Yellow Banks Dulcimer Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky, I met Dick "Richard" Albin, who invited me to play at the following Great American Dulcimer Convention in Pine Mountain, Kentucky. Albin not only encouraged me to play more, but offered advice on being a performer.
I took this input to heart and started developing a more holistic show that blend my unique brand of music and storytelling which allowed me to take my music to a much wider audience.I won the Midwest Dulcimer Championship in Avoca, Iowa in 1992. That same year, I opened for many acoustic masters including Norman and Nancy Blake, Peter Rowan, John Hartford, and Tony Rice. I found myself playing dulcimer for audiences unfamiliar with the instrument. "I was really lucky. And it helped being the new kid on the block. I was one of the first Gen-X dulcimer players. Now days there are many great young players that are doing amazing things on the instrument."
In 1995, I quit touring and playing out very much. I went to graduate school at Western Kentucky University, where I received my master’s degree in Folk Studies. I then went to work for the Florida Park Service as a folklorist and later directed the Florida Folk Festival a huge event. It was while I was working in Florida I started playing a little more. I hosted several dulcimer retreats teaching workshops and meeting a lot of great players, many for the first time. I also met David Beede an incredible dulcimer builder and player. I am currently playing one of his instruments that he made to my specifications.
I left Florida this last summer and moved back to my hometown of Nashville, Indiana. I received a great job as the director of Traditional Arts Indiana, the state folklife program for Indiana. I knew that I wanted to keep my hand in music, but my new job was not going to allow for much time to teach or perform very much. So I started this blog to allow me to organize my thoughts about dulcimer and to try to stay in touch with folks and teach a little along the way.
Well that’s more than enough for now.
