Last edited: 01/24/2014
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Lloyd Frank Wright
In 1994, the Wright family was on
vacation traveling through Missouri and Arkansas. While visiting caves in
Missouri, three separate and complete strangers to Jerry and Margaret (Lloyd's
mom and dad) approached them and said, "You should see Blanchard Springs Caverns
in Mountain View, Arkansas." Thinking it would be a nice thing to do, Margaret
looked for Mountain View on the map.
Arriving at the campground in the late afternoon, Jerry asked the owner of the
campground, "Is there anything to do around here in the evening?" Now if you
know about Mountain View, you will know that it is a great place to be if you
are looking for folk music. There is the Ozark Folk Center with great shows in
the evening, there are the private show places around town and then there is the
Square. There are always musicians on the Square.
Well, Jerry, Margaret, Hollis and Lloyd cleaned up and headed for an evening at
the Ozark Folk Center. After the concert they headed for the Square. By now they
were hooked. Blanchard Springs Caverns were eventually visited about three days
later. On the way to the Ozark Folk Center you pass McSpadden's Dulcimer Shoppe.
The sign out front says that you can watch them build the dulcimers. Being a
wood worker, Jerry wanted to stop in. The famous line for the day came from
Margaret as the family was walking across the parking lot. Margaret commented,
"We're not going to buy a dulcimer!" Jerry replied that he just wanted to watch
them work.
Once inside, Jerry went to the back. Glass windows allow visitors to watch the
workers. After a few minutes Jerry walked back toward the front to find
Margaret. She was in a little area where the dulcimers were displayed. Lynn
McSpadden was sitting next to her. Margaret had a dulcimer in her lap playing
Bile Them Cabbage. In a few minutes a small crowd gathered, listening to Lynn
and Margaret play. The next thing Jerry knew, Margaret had pulled out the old
Master Card and was purchasing a fine new, walnut and spruce mountain dulcimer.
Lynn said that there was a very active dulcimer club in Houston.
So in September of 1994 Jerry and Margaret attended a meeting of the North
Harris County Dulcimer Society in Houston, Texas. They returned home after the
meeting and told the boys that they should go the next month. Hollis and Lloyd
attended their first meeting in October of 1994. Lloyd was 12 and Hollis was 15.
They were hooked. At that time the family only had one dulcimer. Larry Barringer
loaned Lloyd a mountain dulcimer, an Autoharp was acquired for Hollis and Jerry
ordered a pickin stick from Larry Barringer. By Christmas the family was playing
in public. Jerry had sung in church all of his life but had no idea that he had
any musical gifts. Their parents were amazed at how quickly Hollis and Lloyd
learned their new-found instruments. Jerry and Margaret purchased a used
McSpadden from Steve Heiser and gave it to Lloyd for Christmas. On a family
outing to Galveston, some folks heard the family playing their instruments and
gave Hollis and Lloyd $50 each. This money went for more instruments.
Everyone in the family learned fast, well Jerry was a little slow at first. The
folks with the North Harris County Dulcimer Society were very supportive. The
club members also played a lot in public. One such play was early in 1995 at
Washington-On-The-Brazos. An old time string band was there also. Margaret and
Jerry loved the music. Then at a break, Jerry noticed that one of the members of
Sweet Song String Band was over in the corner jamming with Lloyd. Scott Jackson
had his guitar and Lloyd was playing the mountain dulcimer.
Everyone said that we just had to go to Glen Rose. That is where the Lone Star
State Dulcimer Festival is held each May. In 1995 the Wright family attended
their first festival. Polly Williams insisted that Lloyd enter the mountain
dulcimer contest. He was only 13 and had been playing less that a year. He
didn't make a showing but he played well. It was kinda fun. On Sunday when the
festival was winding down, there was time for an open mike. Lloyd and Hollis
wanted to play. They asked and were brought to the stage. Folks were impressed
with these two young men playing old time music. Dana Hamilton asked them to
play more tunes. Then he asked them to open the Lone Star State Dulcimer
Festival in 1996. On a trip to Tennessee in 1996, the Wrights visited with Bob
and Maude Mize for the first time. Robert Mize is the featured dulcimer builder
in Foxfire 3.
Early in 1997 the family traveled to Covington, Louisiana and attend the
dulcimer festival. It was there they met Don Pedi. Don invited the family to
visit him in North Carolina. In May Lloyd entered the state contest in Glen Rose
and made it to the top five. In June the Wrights were in North Carolina where
Don introduced them to Mars Hill. There is a lot of great old time music played
in Madison County, North Carolina. Lloyd got to be friends with another young
musician - Josh Goforth.
In 1998 on a return trip to Covington, Lloyd was introduced to Steve Seifert and
David Schnaufer. In the summer of 1998, Steve spent a week in Kennard (the
country house) recording Hollis, Lloyd, James Butcher, Christina Ryan and
Benjamin Hester - all teenagers.
In September of 1998, Jerry, Lloyd and Ken Ryan drove to Winfield, Kansas. Lloyd
competed on the national level and did not place.
At the Lone Star State Dulcimer Festival in 1999, Lloyd came in 1st place. At
Winfield that same year he placed in the top five.
Two CDs were recorded in 2000, one with the fiddler, Bill Thurman. Lloyd joins
Bill with his old time banjo, guitar and mountain dulcimer. The second CD is
with Lloyd's family. On The Family Album, Lloyd plays old time banjo and
guitar and even sings on a couple of the songs. Bill Thurman with his fiddle and
Ken Ryan with his bass join the Wrights on the CD. Lloyd became the National
Mountain Dulcimer Champion at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield in
September 2000.
Margaret has written a series of Twelve Tune Song Books for the mountain
dulcimer. Since the tunes are simple and easy to read, they have become very
popular across the United States. There is also a CD that goes with the song
books. Brother Hollis, is a two time 3rd place State Champion on the Autoharp.
Jerry is known for his pickin stick and tall tales. Jerry also created and
maintains a web site for dulcimer players in and around East Texas. East Texas
Dulcimers
The dulcimer, it's music and the folks that you meet has added so much to the
lives of Jerry, Margaret, Hollis and Lloyd. We sometimes wonder who those three
people were who told us that we should see Blanchard Springs Caverns - sometimes
we even wonder if maybe we had been visited by Angels.
Lloyd grew up in Kennard and Bellaire, Texas. Lloyd graduated in 2000 from
Bellaire High School where he was very active in J.R.O.T.C. He lived in
Nashville, Tennessee for about a year and now he is back in Texas.
Competition History of Lloyd Frank Wright
Lone Star State Dulcimer Festival State Mountain Dulcimer Contest
1995 - Did not place
1997 - Top five
1998 - 2nd place
1999 - 1st place
Mountain View, Arkansas Regional Mountain Dulcimer Contest
1998 - 4th place
Walnut Valley Festival National Mountain Dulcimer Contest
1998 - Did not place
1999 - Top five
2000 - 1st place
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