Jeff Hames

Several years ago I attended my first-ever dulcimer festival at Unicoi Sate Park. I remember a lot of great things about the festival! The thing that I probably remember the most from that festival was watching Jeff Hames play "Dueling Banjos" during the evening concert. I had no idea that the dulcimer could do anything like that! A few months later on my birthday I was given Jeff Hames' CD, "One for a Friend," which resulted in me playing that CD over and over and over!

Learning from Jeff (I was 9)

A little less than a year later I was sitting with Jeff getting advice from him about my songs for the Southern Reigonal Dulcimer Championship. Over the years I have been blessed with the opportunity to sit and learn from Jeff both in class settings and one-on-one. He has taught some of the most valuable things that I know about the dulcimer, things still use a lot on my dulcimer today. Along with that I have gotten to jam a lot with Jeff and have become good friends with him.

 

First and Second Place This Year!

All of this came into my mind the other day while I was standing on stage at The Ozark Folk Center with Jeff Hames right after finishing second to him in the Southern Regional Mountain Dulcimer Championship. I realized just how far I have come since that festival at Unicoi and just how much Jeff has had to do with that.

So I guess all of that comes down to this. Thank you so much to Jeff Hames for all that you have done for me and continue to do to for me and my music! And thanks for being a great friend!

-Nathaniel