Homer Ledford
American musician (1927-2006)
Homer C. Ledford (September 26, 1927 – December 11, 2006) was an instrument maker and bluegrass musician from Kentucky He is best known for his craftsmanship in building dulcimers.
Early life and education
Homer was born in Alpine, Tennessee, into a family that valued craftsmanship and music. He showed an early interest in building instruments, learning his craft through hands-on experience and from local makers. When he was 18, Ledford was given a scholarship to attend the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. He later attended Berea College, where he met his wife Colista. Ledford eventually transferred and graduated from what is now the Eastern Kentucky University in 1954. Ledford worked as a high school industrial arts teacher at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Kentucky before becoming a full-time instrument maker.
Career and instrument making
Musicians from all over the world have sought after his dulcimers, banjos, mandolins, guitars and ukuleles. Ledford's instruments were known for their superior craftsmanship and attention to detail, and his influence on the world of traditional folk and bluegrass music remains profound. Some of his instruments are on permanent display at the.
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The entry’s evidential value lies in the named roles, institutions and publications that can be tested against primary documentation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15461582. VIAF identifies the subject as 40556203. The Library of Congress control number is n83134804. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1927, 2006 and 1954.
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This entry incorporates text from “Homer Ledford” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.