Homer Ledford
Kentucky
Governor Paul Patton (l) and Homer Ledford
at
the Kentucky Governor's Mansion
HOMER LEDFORD-- Bio
Homer Ledford was born and raised in the
Mr Ledford attended
Mr Ledford is also a fine
HOMER LEDFORD’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS
He shared the stage with Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys at the Homer
Ledford Bluegrass Festival--Invited by the Japan-America Society of Kentucky to
play solo concerts on a ten-day tour of Japan--Opened for Bill Monroe at the
Kentucky Theater, Lexington, Ky.--He played for the Kentucky Music Educators
Association, Louisville, Ky.--Gave a concert for the 1994 Southern Region 4-H
Leadership Forum, Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Eatonton, Georgia. He opened for the
Allison Krauss Bluegrass Band at the Kentucky Theater,
HOMER LEDFORD [OTHER APPEARANCES]
He was interviewed and did some special music on the show entitled: Personal Conversations With Dennis Wholey--Produced by KET America.
Homer was on
The McLain Family Band filmed Mr Ledford for a Kentucky Education Television
documentary. Appeared on the Milton Metz Omolet show, in
Homer
Ledford on
Homer
Ledford on Public Radio International's
"Michael
Feldman's Whad' Ya Know?" national broadcast
MEDIA
Featured in Artisans of the Appalchians, by Edward Dupuy, 1987.
In By Southern Hands, by Jan Arnow publications, Oxmoor House,
The Rural Kentuckian, published by Kentucky Rural Electric, May 1989.
Homer and his work featured in a two-page article in Lands End catalog, April 1989.
The
Dixie Frets, Luthiers of the Southeast, Published by the Council of
the Traditional Arts and distributed by the
History of
Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions by Ralph Lee Smith,, Published by Scare Crow Press, inc., Sept. 1997.
Woodsongs by Michael Johnathon, published by North American Imprints, 1996.
Dulcimer Maker; The Craft of Homer Ledford, [Homer’s Biography].
Written by R. Gerald Alvey and published by the
See Ya’ Further Up the Creek. A collection of Stories and Poems by Homer Ledford, 2004
THE MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST
By Homer C. Ledford
When you hear the sounds of the old CLAWHAMMER banjo, you know it’s Homer Ledford about to do his famous ‘MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST’ and novel act. This is not your "run-of the mill" show--it is quite unique!
First he plays a couple of tunes on the banjo, and then he gets someone from the audience (this may be a young person, a senior citizen, or, yes, even the Governor!), to come up and help him play, Homer notes the banjo and his helper strums the head part of the instrument. After the banjo thing, he plays and tells about the Appalachian dulcimer--A very beautiful sound. Another fun experience is to watch Homer get out his new development which he calls THE FIDDLEFONE, an instrument made up of scrap wood from the shop, an old style spring wound phonograph arm, two fiddle strings and set up and played much like a fiddle. This part of the show is always a big hit also.
Next, he picks up the ole HOG-LOT fiddle he made years ago as a teenager. The curly maple wood came from an old tree that grew in his dad’s hog lot. Homer plays this thing behind his back, under his arm or any way except the right way! This makes you want to get right up and dance, or whatever! By this time everyone wants to know what in the world is in the red, white and blue box marked "beware, animal inside". When he finally opens the box and gets it out, everyone is surprised to see it is a "chimp" style monkey powered by a battery. The monkey plays the cymbals while Ledford dances a doll on a string and plays a banjo all at the same time. Homer handcrafted the doll that is complete with big red boots, overalls and an old flop hat.
Last, but by no means least, Homer introduces everyone to, yes you guessed it, the MUSICAL SAW. As soon as he gets it all tuned up real good, he will play you such tunes as MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, DOWN IN THE VALLEY, or other good SAW tunes such as I SAW The Light, I SAW Mommie Kissing Santa Claus, or ArkanSAW Traveler! To have the audience sing My Old Kentucky Home has proven to be a big hit.
Homer Ledford Playing the
Musical Saw
Learn from Homer Ledford about the
Musical Saw! (Sound
files courtesy of the
Hear Homer Ledford playing the saw. (350k
WAV file)
Hear Homer Ledford talk about the musical saw. (450k WAV file)
Rev.