Lots Of Updates - Please Read
Hello, everyone. First off, thank you for subscribing to our "weekly" (that's the goal, anyway) newsletter. You've been getting these from my brother, Steve, for the past year or so. Most of y'all know by now, but a few of you might not have heard, but Steve passed away last week. I'm going to keep the newsletter going, and try to get one out each Friday, but realistically, it will be several times a month at best.
This isn't going to be a "ooh, look at the pretty pictures" message. Instead, I'll give you lots of information. Next week will bring the return of the popular shop photos, and updates on what's happening here at the Folkcraft shop in Woodburn, Indiana.
So, here goes:
The Midwest Uke Fest (MidwestUkeFest.com) is coming up soon. August 20 and 21, 2016. We have Bing Futch, Marc Revenson (Lil' Rev), and Wendy Songe as our instructors this year. We'll be bringing in special guest Tom Bossardet to teach our "intro to uke class", and you can count on a fun, musical, and hospitable weekend. We'll cut off registration at 50 guests, and keep this a small festival. Click the link above to see the class selections and sign up for the festival.
I've decided to NOT hold the Indiana Dulcimer Festival this year. With our reduced staffing, we just don't have the capacity, and I don't have the heart, to put the festival together. I know that many of you have been planning on this festival since last year, and I sincerely apologize for letting you down. This was a difficult decision, and I'm sorry that IDF won't take place this September. The Dulcimer Boot Camp is also on hold until next year.
And now some good news: My dad (Jim Ash) is back to making instruments in the shop. He's the one that taught Steve and me how to build them, and I'm enjoying working with him as we pick up the slack from Steve's absence. He finished off four traditional-bodied instruments earlier this week, and has spent all day today working on some LAP-JO Pro's. Dad is a skilled luthier, and while we'll make fewer instruments without Steve, we will make the same high-quality dulcimers you've come to expect from Folkcraft.
And speaking of LAP-JOs, here's a link to a really cool LAP-JO performance by John and Karen Keane. This YouTube video was taken just a couple of weeks ago in the Folkcraft concert hall. Enjoy.
Thank you for reading this letter, and thank you for your support of my family in this difficult time, and of Folkcraft Instruments. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Richard Ash