Robert Force

Still in Search of the Wild Dulcimer

webmaster — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 02:12:20 +0000

20 years of Dulcimer history in one package: The Complete Recordings contains ALL of the tunes recorded and released by Force & d'Ossche on the Biscuit City, Kicking Mule, Sonnet (Europe), Flying Fish, Gourd Music and BAF record labels-- a legacy of 44 tunes, 156 minutes of recordings that shaped the evolution of the modern dulcimer. It's been a long time coming but the songs are also now available individually on I-tunes-- tell a friend! The album can also be ordered through CD Baby or directly from Robert for twenty bucks flat (he pays postage) at Blaine Street Records, 1228 Blaine Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Checks accepted. You can also contact me at force@rlforce.com. I promise to write comments about each of the songs, post tabs and even link videos to the songs. However, since this site has become hard to maintain, new information, further instruction and other links will now be posted at WildDulcimer.com. It took over 40 years to get to this spot, so it's likely to take a bit longer to fulfill the vision of having it all up and accessible. Thanks to all the people who have visited here over the years. It will be left up as a legacy site with all of it's good information intact. RF

Manitou– In the Garden of the Gods is now out!

webmaster — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:27:42 +0000

Along with six close friends (and packing a portable recording studio) I hiked into a beautiful red rock canyon in Colorado a year ago last August. Representing over 240 years of musical performance experience, we seven musicians laid down live tracks reflecting the presence of the spirits of the canyon. Manitou, Algonquin for [...]

Kindred Gathering 34

webmaster — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:36:32 +0000

The Kindred Gathering link to the right has been updated with this year’s happenings… Hope to see you all there.

Editor’s Pick: Al d’Ossché and Robert Force “Mama Sunday’s”

webmaster — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:50:58 +0000

No there isn't anything wrong with your speakers, it just sounds that way. 60 minutes of music and chatter, recorded before a very live audience and rescued some years later from a low-bias, slightly magnetized cassette tape...

On the Hard Drive Now Music Video

webmaster — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 06:46:53 +0000

Windows Media Version, 512kbps, 12.6MB

QuickTime Version, H.264, 512kbps, 13.3MB

QuickTime HD, H.264, 2mbps, 48.9MB

Southern Acoustic Music Gathering, October 21-22, Tucson, Arizona.

webmaster — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:04:32 +0000

Anna Duff is a person with a passion for music, especially for both the hammered dulcimer, which she plays, and for the mountain dulcimer– ’cause we just won’t go away and insist that the name belongs to us. She consistently brings in great talent from across the country for instruction and performance on these two [...]

24th Annual Manitou Springs Folk Festival, August 25-27, Manitou Springs, Colorado.

webmaster — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:03:33 +0000

Bud and Donna Ford, along with family, friends and the entire town of Manitou Springs host one of the last old-style community free folk festivals in the country. Generous donations from the Fords, the business community and private sponsors keep this festival alive and vibrant. This warm community at the foot of Pike’s Peak has [...]

3rd Annual Nutmeg Festival, September 29-30, 2006, Hamden, CT.

webmaster — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:02:21 +0000

This will be my first time playing in New England in nearly 20 years, except for my jaunt 2 years ago up to David Moore’s NE Symposium in the NY Adirondacks, but I am not sure that is considered New England. Well anyway, I find it amazing to be going back to Connecticut, the place [...]

32nd Annual Kindred Gathering Festival, August 12-14, Port Townsend, WA.

webmaster — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 20:38:33 +0000

Yep, we’re at it again. Janette and I are hosting this year’s Gathering. Check out the particulars elsewhere here on my website. Good friends, good music.

Swannanoa Gathering Dulcimer Week, July 9-15, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, N.C.

webmaster — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:58:08 +0000

This is the 15th year that one of the premier folk art schools in the country has presented a summer-long program for music, dance, food– and much more. My week to be there was in July, but I could easily see myself attending any one of their other camps and I urge you to check [...]