Template:POTD/2024-12-08
Jean Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an American folk singer and songwriter who was known for playing the Appalachian dulcimer. Born to a family of folk singers in Viper, Perry County, Kentucky, Ritchie was the youngest of 14 siblings. As a child, her father Balis barred his children to play the dulcimer, but Ritchie defied his injunction and began playing the dulcimer in secret. Thus, by the time her father began teaching her how to play, she was already accustomed to the instrument so her father labeled her as a "natural born musician". By playing the dulcimer on many of her albums and writing tutorials, Ritchie popularized the instrument, making her ultimately responsible for the revival of the Appalachian dulcimer, and earning her the nickname "Mother of Folk". This photograph shows Ritchie in 1950.Photograph credit: Associated Press