Bill Spence & George Wilson

Visit Bill's web site & a review about George

Cathy began her life with the hammered dulcimer one Saturday morning in 1974 when KOPN radio played some tunes by Bill Spence, on an instrument she had not heard before and on an album Bill recorded in his living room on a 2-track machine. Until that time, there were virtually no recordings of hammered dulcimer music available. This lively, feel good recording has since become the source of inspiration for hundreds of new hammered dulcimer enthusiasts. It also marked the beginning of Front Hall Records, and for more than 20 years, Bill recorded many popular folk artists, including Michael Cooney, Alistair Anderson, Louis Killen, John McCutcheon and John Roberts and Tony Barrand.

In the 1970s, Bill toured the East Coast with his band Fennig's All-Stars String Band, mostly with fiddler George Wilson. A talented, multi-instrumental virtuoso and singer, George's repertoire samples a wide variety of traditional and folk styles. As a fiddler, he has nearly 300 tunes for dancing and listening-tunes from New England, Quebec, Cape Breton, Scotland, Ireland and Shetland. Put a banjo in his hand, and George can channel Uncle Dave Macon, cackling enough to send you to the kitchen in search of country ham and cornbread. With a 12-string guitar George can conjure up Hudie Ledbetter, "Leadbelly," one of the most beloved singers in American folk music.