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By Sandy Kroeker
Collection Overview
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
Scope and Contents of the Materials
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.
Biographical Note
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.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source:
Linda Williams
Acquisition Method:
Gift
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Hammer Dulcimer and Peppermill String Band Papers],
[All]
- Series 1: Hammer Dulcimer and Peppermill String Band Papers
- Item 1: Hammer Dulcimer, 1996
- 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. Accession number 2023.2620252.006a
- Item 2: Dulcimer Case, 1996
- Fabric case. Accession number 2023.2620252.006b
- Item 3: Dulcimer Stand, 1996
- Handmade folding stand for the hammer dulcimer. Cherry legs with spruce dowels, twine connections, and felt pads at top to support the instrument. Accession number 2023.2620252.006c
- Item 4: Tuning Hammer, undated
- Unidentified tuning hammer with a maple handle, in leather case. Located in hammer dulcimer case. Accession number 2023.2620252.004
- Item 5: Tuning Hammer, undated
- Apsco tuning hammer with a maple handle, in leather case. Located in hammer dulcimer case. Accession number 2023.2620252.005
- Box 1
- Item 1: Wooden Hammer, undated
- Walnut and Cherry. Accession number: 2023.2620252.001a
- Item 2: Wooden Hammer, undated
- Walnut and Cherry. Accession number: 2023.2620252.001b
- Item 3: Wooden Hammer Pattern, undated
- Spruce. Accession number: 2023.2620252.002
- Item 4: Wooden Hammer, undated
- Walnut and Maple. Accession number: 2023.2620252.003a
- Item 5: Wooden Hammer, undated
- Walnut and Maple. Accession number: 2023.2620252.003b
- Folder 1: Hammer Dulcimer Orders and Correspondence, 1978-1985
- Folder 2: Pamela Sutherland Sheet Music, 1981
- Folder 3: Peppermill String Band Photographs, 1981-1983
- Folder 4: Peppermill String Band News Clippings, 1982-1985
- Folder 5: Peppermill String Band CDs, 1990
- Folder 6: Hammer Dulcimer Photographs, undated
- Folder 7: Hammer Dulcimer Rosette Pattern, undated
- Folder 8: Peppermill String Band Disc, undated
- Folder 9: Peppermill String Band Performances and Songs, 1989-1995
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Hammer Dulcimer and Peppermill String Band Papers],
[All]
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