What is Old Time Music?

The Long Ago Stringband is dedicated to bringing you the finest in “Old Time” acoustic music. Many of our audiences ask us to explain what we mean by “Old Time Music”.

Centuries ago music traveled to the United States with the immigrants that settled here. All along the Appalachian Mountain chain the settlers carefully preserved and passed on songs that they had brought from their homelands. Many of these people were of the Scots-Irish tradition. The Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer, also called the fretted dulcimer, was invented in this area. We often call the music from this area “Mountain” music and it is the precursor to the “Blue Grass” music that many of us are familiar with today. Mountain music has regained some popularity in recent years with the release of the movie “Oh Brother! Where Art Thou”. What many don’t realize is that this same mountain music has been around for a long, long time.

The Long Ago Stringband plays songs that have been passed down over the generations as well as songs written more recently played in the “old time” style. We play all acoustic instruments (that means no electric music and no rock and roll)! Many of the songs we play we have learned over years of going to the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. This wonderful state park is nestled in the Ozark Mountains and is dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of the music and culture of the Ozark area. There are many fine musicians that play there on the craft grounds there as well as the evening stage. In fact you may see us playing up there in the spring. You can find their web site at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com .

Watch for future updates to include information about the Mountain Dulcimer and some of the other instruments we play. Visit the web site for the Dulcimer Shoppe in Mountain View, Arkansas. This is the home of McSpadden Dulcimers, makers of finely crafted Mountain Dulcimers. All of the dulcimers we play were made here. Check them out at www.mcspaddendulcimers.com .

Jack Giger and Mary Tangen-Giger