Back in 2020, the music world in general, and the dulcimer world in particular, lost another one of its iconic figures with the passing of Madeline Reed MacNeil.  At the time of her passing, Maddie had been in the middle of collecting 45 years' worth of her previously unpublished mountain and hammered dulcimer arrangements with the intention of making them available in book format. Those arrangements were left in the care of Janita Baker. As a labor of love and to share Maddie’s gifts with others, Janita has begun publishing what she considers to be Maddie’s Trilogy. The first book, “Dulcimerrily for Mountain Dulcimer”, was published in May of 2026. The second book in the set, “Dulcimerrily for Hammered Dulcimer,” is now available!

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In January of 1987, Sandy Conatser, a lifelong resident of Nashville, Tennessee, went in search of a dulcimer instructor for herself and a friend. Sandy's friend was a dulcimer player whose teacher had left Nashville, but Sandy had never even seen a dulcimer. She found the name David Schnaufer on a community education flyer and decided to give him a call and ask about private lessons. Little did she know that the call she was about to make was like looking for someone to paint a house and connecting with Michelangelo!

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This month’s free tab is an arrangement of the Tin Pan Alley-era tune “Tonight You Belong to Me”. Composed 100 years ago in 1926 by lyricist Billy Rose and composer David Lee (aka Lee David) it is a prime example of the type of sentimental ballads and romantic duets that were immensely popular at the time and have also survived into current pop culture. Its first major success came through recordings by Gene Austin and Irving Kaufman, both of whom helped establish it as a standard of the period. Over the decades since, “Tonight You Belong to Me” has been revived by many performers. A 1956 recording by sisters Patience and Prudence McIntyre became the best-known modern version, reaching the Billboard charts and introducing the song to a new generation.

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As our nation marks 250 years of independence, “My Country ’Tis of Thee” stands as a reminder of how one borrowed melody became woven into America’s own story of liberty, a timeless voice of the nation’s hopes and contradictions. The familiar tune associated with this patriotic hymn has roots far older than the United States itself. Its melody originated in 18th‑century Britain as “God Save the King,” first appearing in print around 1744 and quickly becoming the British national anthem. The tune’s stately, hymn‑like character made it adaptable for ceremonial occasions, and its simplicity allowed it to be sung by congregations and choirs alike. By the late 18th century, the melody had spread across Europe, appearing in various patriotic and royal contexts. The melody’s adaptability made it one of the most recognizable tunes in Western music by the early 19th century.

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The music world in general, and the dulcimer world in particular, lost another one of its iconic figures with the passing of Madeline Reed MacNeil back in 2020. Maddie started her career as a folk singer at various venues in her beloved Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the 1960’s, accompanying herself primarily on guitar. She was introduced to both the mountain and hammered dulcimers sometime in the 1970’s, and began a career of performing with and teaching both those instruments that spanned over 45 years.

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