Tales and Traditions: A Singleton Dulcimer

This article was first published in Vol. 38, No. 1 (Winter 2012). It has been edited for publication online.

By Ralph Lee Smith

A few days ago, I received an email from James Floyd, a Florida resident, which read in part as follows:

“I found this dulcimer today and the folks at Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer said you might know something about it. The label inside says WC Singleton-Viper KY-Box 75. It is a single neck 6 string with 3 wooden tuning pegs on each end. I will attach a picture. Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.”

A Will Singleton dulcimer! Wow! And a “courting dulcimer,” at that!

I emailed James, asking for any details that he could provide. He replied that he had purchased the dulcimer at an estate sale in Pensacola, and that he had no other information about it.

Will Singleton (1860-1951) of Viper, Kentucky, was a neighbor of the Ritchie family. A charming description of him appears in Jean Ritchie’s book, "The Dulcimer Book," originally published in 1963.

Singleton made highly distinctive instruments during the first half of the 20th century, apparently few being exact duplicates, and apparently all of single-bout shape rather than the hourglass shape of the instruments made by “Uncle Ed” Thomas, which were well known in his area. In fact, Will is the only prominent Kentucky maker of the early 20th Century, who cheerfully ignored the region’s double-bout tradition. He did things his own way, with great results!

Lloyd Allen Smith’s book, "A Catalog of Pre-Revival Appalachian Dulcimers," describes eight Singleton dulcimers, of which five are illustrated. Only one of them is a courting dulcimer, and all six strings of this instrument are pegged at one end.

However, in an earlier book, "Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands," by Allen H. Eaton, published in 1937, facing page 138, there are photos of four dulcimer makers: Jethro Amburgey, Samuel Russell, Bristol Taylor, and Will Singleton. Will is holding a courting dulcimer with peg heads at each end. It looks very much to me like the instrument that James bought at the auction in Pensacola!

If it is that instrument, what is the plot of the tale? Who owned it, and how did it end up in that Florida estate auction?

One thing is for sure. We are not yet at the point in our rediscovery of the dulcimer’s history, where things no longer turn up in local auctions and yard sales!