Modern dulcimer trailblazer Sam Edelston brings his acclaimed live show to the Roanoke Valley area for the first time with a day-long series that will include three workshops and a solo concert by Edelston. The event will take place on Saturday, August 22nd, hosted by Roanoke Valley Dulcimers, at the Vinton Public Library, located at 300 S. Pollard St. in Vinton, VA. Tickets for this day's events are available online here:
https://www.samthemusicman.com/payments

While the mountain dulcimer is traditionally known as a 19th-century American folk instrument used for simple melodies, it has occasionally surfaced in popular music through artists like Joni Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, Harry Styles, and The Rolling Stones. Edelston pushes the instrument's boundaries even further, performing complete-sounding, electrifying arrangements of well-known songs on just three strings.

The event series kicks off on Saturday with "A Day with Sam Edelston." Beginning at 8:00 a.m., the day features breakfast, open jamming, and two interactive workshops for all skill levels: "Dulcimer One-Room Schoolhouse" and "Sea Shanties for Dulcimer." Following a lunch break, Edelston will lead a third workshop, "Making It Sound Beautiful" and conclude the day with a solo performance at 3:00 p.m. showcasing the unique repertoire that has captivated fans across the country.

After touring 14 U.S. states and amassing more than 1.2 million YouTube views from audiences in over 190 countries, Edelston has built a reputation for transforming the traditional mountain dulcimer into a bona fide rock instrument. His mission: "to make the fretted dulcimer as badass as the guitar."

That vision came to life with his 2024 debut album, Making Waves—the first classic rock album to feature the fretted dulcimer as the lead instrument in a full-band setting. Blending original songs with bold reinterpretations of music by The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Beatles, Paul Simon, Brandi Carlile, and others, the groundbreaking release showcases the dulcimer's remarkable range while challenging its long-held reputation as a humble folk instrument.

Schedule:
10:30 AM - Dulcimer One-Room Schoolhouse
11:45 AM - Sea Shanties for Dulcimer
1:45 PM - Making It Sound Beautiful
3:00 PM - Solo concert by Sam Edelston

All skill levels welcome - $45 General Admission full day or
$20 per workshop and $10 for the concert

Tickets and more info:  https://www.samthemusicman.com/payments