Dulci-More: Folk & Traditional Musicians will host Colin Beasley at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 14 in the Meeting Room of the Dale Shaffer Research Library of the Salem Historical Society. (Submitted photo)

SALEM — Dulci-More: Folk & Traditional Musicians will host Colin Beasley at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 14 in the Meeting Room of the Dale Shaffer Research Library of the Salem Historical Society, 239 S. Lundy Ave. Parking is available in the municipal lot across Lundy. The building is handicapped accessible. Admission is free for the spring and summer 2025 concert series as a thank you gift from Dulci-More recognizing all those who have supported events through the years and welcoming new audience members.

Beasley is a musician who specializes in hammered dulcimer, steel pans, and percussion. Known for his unique style of playing, he mixes elements from a variety of genres in his music. These include classical, jazz, Irish folk, African, Brazilian, Cuban, Caribbean, and various others.

Beasley picked up the hammered dulcimer in November of 2013 and has since used his growth as a musician to grow as a player. After winning his first hammered dulcimer contest at the Southern Strings Dulcimer Festival just three months after he started playing, he has accumulated a plethora of hammered dulcimer awards including the 2015 and 2017 Southern Regional Champion, the 2014 and 2016 Deep South Champion, the 2016 Texas State champion, and the 2016 Mid-East Regional Champion.

In September of 2018, Beasley competed in and won 1st place in the National Hammered Dulcimer Contest at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. He performed at Dulci-More Festival 25 in 2019.

Though not as decorated as his hammered dulcimer accomplishments, Beasley also plays the double second steel pans. He began playing in college around the same time he picked up hammered dulcimer. His college, The University of Southern Mississippi, boasts one of the top collegiate steel bands in the country in “SoMisPo” (Southern Miss Steel Pan Orchestra) under the direction of Dr. John Wooton. Colin also plays a variety of percussion instruments including pandeiro, congas, cajon, djembe, and various auxiliary instruments including shaker, shekere, Brazilian triangle, and guiro.

Along with his own recordings (the most recent featuring music from the Legend of Zelda video games that he has arranged for hammered dulcimer and more), Beasley also has recorded as a percussionist on Somewhere, the most recent CD by the Hired Hands, some of Dulci-More’s favorite local musicians from Lisbon, Ohio featuring their Celtic harps.

Since its founding in January of 1993, Dulci-More has met twice a month to enjoy playing and singing. The group occasionally performs for festivals, fairs, schools, churches, clubs, nursing homes, and others. The group also presented its Dulci-More Festival for 25 years featuring national, international, regional, and local musicians. This concludes the Dulci-More Concert Spring/Summer Series for 2025. Watch for information about our Fall Series coming soon.

No advance tickets or reservations are needed for the concert series. Free refreshments are available during the intermission. Everyone is welcome to attend. For information or directions, contact Bill Schilling at 234-564-3852 or bill@dulcimore.org or check on the web at www.dulcimore.org for information about the club.