2017

Jim Good

For more than 44 years, Good has been playing and making dulcimers in the hills of the Mountain State. A native of West Virginia, Good’s dulcimers have gained an international reputation. His work is a tribute to his creativity, ingenuity and talent. Handcrafted with his own touch with native West Virginia hardwoods and exotic woods, these instruments produce one of the most unique sounds in the world. And, while exceptional musicians treasure the dulcimers made by Good, there are many young musicians whose first – only – and favorite dulcimer have come from Mastertone Dulcimers. He handcrafts each dulcimer with a beautiful arched top and bottom, producing one of the finest and most unique sounds of any dulcimer in the world. Jim and his wife, Brenda, have been inducted into the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair Hall of Fame for their four decades of work with that event. Their dulcimers have won numerous awards and are cherished by some of the greatest dulcimers players in West Virginia and around the world. They have shared their dulcimers with the public at nearly every Vandalia Gathering since the first one in 1977. The mountain dulcimer is one of the only musical instruments that emerged from the mountains of Appalachia and one of the few instruments that originated in the United States.