Kentucky treasure, master dulcimer maker, musician,

[alfredo]

father, husband, and all around good guy, Homer Ledford has died. A part of our history, our culture, our art has passed.

He helped keep our Kentucky heritage alive.
http://www.cindylowy.com/About%20Homer%20C.%20Ledford.htm

People from all over the world would come to his home in Winchester Ky for a Homer Ledford dulcimer.


Here's Homer in his workshop. He is holding a courting Dulcimer. I believe that was his creation. Two people sit face to face, the dulcimer in their knees.



Here he is playing his invention, the Dulcitar.



A younger Homer Ledford playing one of his dulcimers.

[derby378]

1. I am so sorry for his family's loss

I never even heard of Homer Ledford until just now, but it seems that Kentucky has lost a real treasure.

[MuseRider]

2. So sorry to hear about this.

It always hurts when a part of your unique culture dies.

I love my dulcimer, it is much like the one in your last photo but was not made by him unfortunately.

I like the website you included, thank you for that.

[Book Lover]

3. Always a loss when a craftsman such as he passes on

I never knew him or of him, but I do know other people who handcraft string instruments; the skill required is boggling to contemplate. What a loss. I hope he took on apprentices.

[alfredo]

5. He was good about sharing what he knew.

Look at some of his instruments he made.







He was a good man. There's too few in this world.

[Book Lover]

7. What beautiful work!

That top photo is just beautiful. Did you know him?

[alfredo]

8. Yes. I didn't hang with him, but knew him.

I just found it was ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) that took him down.

[lonestarnot]

4. Ahhh. How sad. The earth lost one of its stars.

:cry:

[alfredo]

6. Here's more on him

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/16219116.htm


Yes, he made that guitar.

[lonestarnot]

9. Thanks Alfredo.

[alfredo]

10. word is getting around. I have had several e-mails about him

today.

It kinda makes on think of their own mortality.

[lonestarnot]

12. Yes, here to day and gone tomorrow.

[BrotherBuzz]

19. Here's another great article article from 1999

He taught industrial arts in Jefferson County and Clark County for 10 years so I suspect he planted many seeds.

http://www.lanereport.com/lanereport/departments/arts/arts899.html

[Ilsa]

11. I own a lap harp, but haven't played it since the summer.

I usually play a little around Christmas time, and maybe a few hymns and strum a little when I;m in a more soulful mood. I never play for anyone other than myself.

How very sad it is that an artist has moved on and isn't here to beautify our world with more. But I guess his labors are over.

[alfredo]

13. A lap harp as in a Celtic harp?

Here's one some friends made.

[Ilsa]

14. No, mine lays flat on my lap and probably has slightly

fewer strings, maybe two octaves. It was made somewhere in "Appalachia."

[alfredo]

16. A zither.

or a Kantele

[kentuck]

15. Was he related to Cawood Ledford?

the longtime voice of the KY Wildcats?

[alfredo]

18. Or Lilly Mae Ledford? I never asked. The

Ledfords are all over the region.

[madokie]

17. Peace Homer