We have lined up a stellar cast of featured workshop leaders and performers. These include two National Mountain Dulcimer Champions and a large range in playing styles, from traditional to contemporary, chromatic dulcimer and electric dulcimer.
- Steve Bing plays and teaches many fiddling styles including Old Time, Cajun, Bluegrass and Texas-Style. He plays in several bands, leads workshops and calls square dances. Steve is a knowledgeable and talented musician playing fiddle, mandolin, Cajun accordion and bass. He will lead our fiddle classes and call a square dance.
- Linda Brockinton, National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in 2001, has a beautiful finger-picking style, and friendly teaching and dulcimer tab. She was a flute major in college; played professionally and began playing the dulcimer in the late 1980’s. Her favorite music is Celtic, hymns and folk/old style.
- Karen Daniels is the 1997 Winfield International Autoharp Champion. Her knowledge and interpretation of how to play the autoharp brings this instrument to a new level. This will entice you to join her autoharp workshops.
- Sam Eldelston is a brilliant and creative musician who pushes the limits of the mountain dulcimer. He styles range from rock (Led Zeppelin) to folk music to his own compositions. “Whole Lotta Love” has received over 250,000 hits on You-Tube.
- Steve Heiser is a multi-talented musician and retired school teacher. His easy teaching style makes him a festival favorite. He will teach extended beginning hammered dulcimer workshops, guitar and mandolin.
- Rick Thum is our featured hammered dulcimer performer and also builds hammered dulcimers. He is a favorite on the national festival circuit and is often named the most popular festival instructor/performer.
- Erin Mae Lewis is the 2004 National Mountain Dulcimer Champion, the youngest winner at the time. Over the past 20 years, Erin has developed a high level of technical proficiency and musical expression with a unique and progressive style. This includes playing a chromatic dulcimer. She is a cancer survivor and played the dulcimer extensively during lymphoma treatments.
- Steve Seifert is a student of dulcimer virtuoso, David Schnaufer. Steve has gone on to make his own knick and impact on the dulcimer world. With an infective personality and keen interpretation of music, Steve is a favorite wherever he goes.
- Tish Westman is a multi-talented musician with a beautiful voice. She plays dulcimer, bowed psaltery, ukulele, and banjo. We look forward to her workshops on playing the dulcimer and singing.
- Margaret Wright, an elementary school teacher for many years, brings a friendly playing style and easy-to-learn interpretation to folk and fiddle music. She has an extensive knowledge of old-time music, and her love of playing is evident when she performs and teaches. Margaret will teach mountain dulcimer classes and Sacred Harp singing.
Our Master of Ceremonies for our fête, back by popular demand, is Willie Sager. Willie lives in Port Allen, is a bluegrass musician playing upright bass. He is a welcome addition at Lagniappe activities and we enjoy his humor.
Also serving as M.C. for some of the activities is Charlie LeBlanc. Charlie is also from Port Allen. He’s been a member of Lagniappe since the beginning and is the one who originally got us started having our fête in this location.
Additional Performers
Some of our vendors will also teach workshops. More on them later. Here’s a list:
Rob Angus,
Donna Bing,
Chuck Daniels,
Denise Guillory,
Pam Kaster,
Annette Lindsey
David Lindsey,
Terry McCafferty,
Jak Stallings
Dulcimer Jambalaya 