Scott Williams profile picture

Scott Williams

Scott Williams Music

About Me

Born in Delaware and raised in Maryland, Scott Williams took up the hammered dulcimer in college after a spontaneous purchase of one at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. A few months later, he was playing Christmas carols for the family church Christmas Eve service.With Celtic, colonial, medieval, rock, and Renaissance influences, Scott has developed a repertoire of songs on the hammered dulcimer which he now performs at Downtown Disney, corporate events, private parties, street and Renaissance festivals, and shopping malls throughout Orange County, Central California, Las Vegas, and San Diego. His medieval renditions of Metallica are always a head-turning event at festivals, and an album titled 'Dulcitallica' consisting of 100% Metallica songs will be available in Summer 2009.As a multi-instrumentalist, Scott plays and records the majority of what he calls his "backing tracks." These tracks are studio mixes of guitars, cello, bass, drums, mountain dulcimer, mandolins, and synthesizers to create the foundation of his music. He then performs live with the hammered dulcimer to combine the sounds for a presentation of what sounds like a full ensemble.Scott has four studio albums, The Burning of the Piper's Hut (American folk / colonial), The Road to Lisdoonvarna (Celtic), Home for the Holidays (Christmas), and Tristan of the Western Sea (massage / yoga / meditation).Since the hammered dulcimer is such an unusual instrument, people are very drawn to it. Children, especially, find it mesmerizing. "It's perhaps the best part of this adventure," Scott says, "…watching the expressions on children's faces, talking to them, and the best is letting them play the dulcimer. There are always several that leave an impact on me whenever I play. It's very heartfelt and magical."

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/19/2005
Band Website: hammerhandsmusic.com
Band Members: Scott Williams
Influences: Loreena McKennitt, Metallica, Carol Tatum of Angels of Venice, U2, Dixie Chicks
Sounds Like: ...a medieval harpsichord... the hammered dulcimer derives from the ancient Persian instrument, the santur, which came about during the era of Jesus Christ. It probably was brought back to England about 1000 years ago during one of the failed English Christian Crusades perhaps led by King Richard the Lionhearted. Taking years to trek back from losing a war, the santur evolved into the hammered dulcimer having been retuned in an diatonic scale much like a Celtic Harp. Celtic music has become the primary genre of the instrument due to its liveliness, simple scales, and history.The instrument later was mechanized to become what we fondly know of the harpsichord, which later evolved into the modern-day piano.
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

new CD releasing now!

Greetings, Dulcimer Fans.  2008 has finally brought my new CD, "Tristan of the Western Sea".  It's a very mellow compilation of Celtic harp and hammered dulcimer songs.  Recording ...
Posted by Scott Williams on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 05:45:00 PST