By Sandy Kroeker
[Printer Friendly] | [ Email us about these papers]Title: Bruce Williams Papers and Hammer Dulcimer, 1981-1996
ID: 26/20/252
Primary Creator: Bruce Williams (1943-2021)
Extent: 1.25 cubic feet
Arrangement: Arranged by material, instrument (with accessories) and papers, and then in chronological order.
Date Acquired: 09/15/2023
Subjects: Music -- Illinois, Musical Instrument Makers - United States
Languages: English
Consists of hammer dulcimer in cloth bag, wooden dulcimer stand, two tuning hammers, four wooden hammers, wooden hammer pattern, paper rosette pattern, photographs, correspondence, and orders of custom built dulcimers; two CDs, one 45rpm audio disc, photographs, newsclippings, sheet music, and preformance and song lists documenting Bruce Williams founding and performances of the Peppermill String Band.
Bruce John Williams was born July 8, 1943 in Kansas City, MO and died October 25, 2021 in Urbana, IL. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1971, recieved his master's in electrical engineering in 1973, and worked at the U of I until 2003. In the 1970s and 1980s, Williams built custom hammer dulcimers. In the 1980s, he was a founding members of the Peppermill String Band, in which he played the hammer dulcimer alongside George Lowrey on guitar, Kathleen Everingham on the fiddle, David Nelson on bass, and Roger Diggle on guitar.
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source: Linda Williams
Acquisition Method: Gift
Walnut and Cherry
Accession number: 2023.26.20.252.1a
Walnut and Cherry
Accession number: 2023.26.20.252.1b
Spruce
Accession number: 2023.26.20.252.2
Walnut and Maple
Accession number: 2023.26.20.252.3a
Walnut and Maple
Accession number: 2023.26.20.252.3b
Unidentified tuning hammer with a maple handle, in leather case. Located in hammer dulcimer case.
2023.26.20.252.4
Apsco tuning hammer with a maple handle, in leather case. Located in hammer dulcimer case.
2023.26.20.252.5
Handmade hammer dulcimer. Sapele top, walnut and maple sides, maple bridges (with plastic tops), and steel tuning and hitch pins. The dulcimer has two rosettes made of ebony with mother of pearl inlay.
2023.26.20.252.6a
Fabric case.
2023.26.20.252.6b
Handmade folding stand for the hammer dulcimer. Cherry legs with spruce dowels, twine connections, and felt pads at top to support the instrument.
2023.26.20.252.6c