Dulcimer and Banjo Maker Clifford Glenn Passes

The Blue Ridge Music Trails salutes Clifford Glenn, the talented dulcimer and banjo maker from Watauga County, who passed away on July 18, 2015 at the age of seventy-nine. Clifford made dulcimers and fretless mountain banjos for more than five decades in a tradition that dates back to his great-grandfather, Eli Presnell.

During the folk boom of the 1960s, Clifford and his father, Leonard Glenn, were discovered by the folk music community and orders for instruments began pouring in from all over the country and eventually the world.

When asked what he wanted to impart in general to the public, Clifford said, “I'd rather the instruments I make be played rather than just hung on a wall for decoration like some are. But they're made to be played and that's what I'd like to see done with them.”

Musician Lew Dite recounts his story of discovering, corresponding with, and visiting Clifford in this video, which also showcases a banjo made by Clifford and a dulcimer made by his father.