Brett Ridgeway

Brett's philosophy is that Anyone can make music, regardless of age, musical ability, or knowledge! –a philosophy that resonates with people as evidenced in the positive responses he receives regarding his workshops. He currently teaches hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, ukulele, clawhammer banjo, and bluegrass banjo, and also conducts several unique ALL INSTRUMENT workshops. Brett has authored and marketed a series of instructional CDs that display his friendly method of teaching the hammered dulcimer, as well as several Tune workbooks for mountain dulcimer, banjo, and hammered dulcimer. His Learning for Life YouTube channel offers over 400 free lessons on various instruments.

His workshops tend to draw a sizable number of students. In fact, he had the largest class at both the 2016 and 2017 Original Dulcimer Players Club (ODPC) Funfest in Evart, Michigan, and the largest classes at the Ohio Valley Gathering for two years in a row. He also conducted a workshop in Tampa, Florida, which drew over three dozen attendees—including one participant who drove all the way from Texas just to attend his three-hour workshop! Another of Brett’s workshops (in Knoxville, TN this time) brought in folks from 10 different states! Brett is well-known from providing online lessons, and one student drove from Miami, Florida all the way to one of his workshops held in southwestern Pennsylvania! Although there are a variety of reasons people are drawn to his workshops, for the most part, it is because students can tell that Brett truly loves to teach, and that he remembers how important it is for an instructor to have patience and understanding for students who want to learn.

Brett also wrote and performed an original composition, Gettysburg Rain, featured on the 2010 Path of the Wind movie soundtrack, starring Wilford Brimley.

https://brettridgewaymusic.com/