1. Music me,n
Artist FurmanThornton
makes'sweetsounds'
By Joe Edwards
StaffWriter
here !'urman Thornton is concerned,there is no
irony in the fact that the world "dulcimer"
means "sweet sound." The contractor-turned-
craftsman/artist hasspentthe last 15years creat-
ing by hand about 500of the violin-shapedstring
Whenhe started out, Thorntonwas unawarethat what he
saw being strummed on televisionwas a dulcimer. He just
knew it was unique and simple and producedintriguing melo,
dies.
So,with no idea where to get one,the Hartwell contractor
tookmattersinto his ownhands.He locatedan old musicbook,
somewalnut woodand strings and beganto craft a rough like-
nessof whathehadseen.
Nearly 15 years and 5ffi dulcimers later, you might say
Thorntonhastakenhis musicmakingto newheights.Thenorth
Georgiamountains,to beexact.
Thornton,57,spendshis weekdaysbuildingdulcimersfrom
scratch in Hartwell before he sells them at his store in Dillard
onweekends.
"It was really a hobby until two years ago when I opened
the store in Rabun County," Thornton said. "A lot of people
from Florida and up north who are on vacation stop in and say
what a goodideait is."
Although he sells items like Celtic harps, Native American
flutes, tapesand compactdiscsat the store, Thorntonis known
primarily for his handeraftedmountain and hammered dulci-
mers.
From sorting lumber planksto cutting, sandingand careful-
Iy glueingthem together,he makesthe instruments entirely by
hand.Thefinishedproduct rangesin price from $265to $450.
"Theseare the piecesthat give me the fingerboard," Thorn-
ton said recently, pointing to cedar planksstackedon a shelfin
his shop.He also usescherry, chinaberry and sprucewoodsto
fashionhisduleimers.
Someof the materials he finds in
and aroundHart Countywhile oth- Furman Thornton is a
ers are providedthrough contactsin true mountain artist,
NorthCarolinaandotherstates.- Carefully creating
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