The String Dusters
The String Dusters
Band Biography
Old time fiddle and hammered dulcimer tunes
mixed with Celtic inspired melodies
and classic mountain style gospel songs.
Meet the String Dusters, an established alternative old time mountain soul group on a mission to blend the boundaries of traditional, Celtic and bluegrass music. The unique combination of traditional and Celtic instruments is the driving force that’s been captivating audiences all across Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland and Virginia’s Eastern Shore) since 1997.
Three very unique musical personalities merge to form the String Dusters.
Marilyn Long’s intense love for old time West Virginia fiddle tunes played on the Hammered Dulcimer. Frank Nanna’s bluegrass roots shine through on his guitar and banjo playing and Mickey Justice brings his passion for Celtic music and his ability to play beautiful harmony parts on mandolin, blending seamlessly with Marilyn’s hammered dulcimer. The resulting acoustic fusion can bring the String Dusters flavor to a traditional American tune without sacrificing the authenticity of the original sources.
In the fall of 1997, Frank Nanna was making an attempt at a real job with the State of Maryland. The grant program had rented an office space from Shore Up!, a Community Action Agency based in Salisbury, MD. As bureaucracy typically works, you’re done your assigned work by lunch time and have to make stuff up to look busy for the rest of the day. Frank would bring his banjo and fiddle to the office and practice with clothes pins on the bridges to mute the sound. Within a week, Marilyn Long, the Director of Senior Services, whose office was at the other end of the building, heard a banjo and came running down the hall. The next day Marilyn brought in her hammered dulcimer and the two of them played through their lunch hour and the rest of the day. Frank and Marilyn then started playing for lunch at the senior daycare center which was on the first floor of the building. Marilyn had been at her job for over twenty years and could do about anything she wanted. Frank' on the other hand' lasted a year and half (about a year too long) and was escorted off the premises. Thus ended Frank’s career in bureaucracy and marked the beginning of the String Dusters musical legacy.
Charlie Long, Marilyn’s Husband, was a great autoharp player and lover of old time music. Charlie was a Professor of Education at Salisbury University and one of the most beloved Professor’s on campus. Just about every teacher on the Eastern Shore had Dr. Long as a Professor. Every summer Charlie and Marilyn would attend the Augusta Heritage Old Time Music Workshops in Elkins, West Virginia. Charlie would take autoharp and old time banjo lessons, while Marilyn would study hammered dulcimer with legendary teacher, Patty Looman.
Every Thursday night Charlie and Marilyn would have a jam session at their house where everybody would play old time fiddle tunes and discuss the merits of different micro brewed beers. The jams were sounding pretty good so Frank asked Charlie and Marilyn to play a big antique show in Delaware. The response was tremendous. Everybody wanted CD’s.
Frank talked Charlie and Marilyn into doing a CD with guest artist; Berlin, Maryland fiddle and mandolin champion Keith Dill.
“Primitive Soul” the debut album from the String Dusters, was released in April of 1998 at the prestigious World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition in Ocean City, Maryland and was the top-selling CD at the festival that year. Following the success of this first festival appearance, the String Dusters have appeared at concert halls, antique shows, arts & crafts shows, and music festivals all over the Delmarva Peninsula. This grassroots endeavor frequently lands “Primitive Soul” among the top two best-selling local independent CD’s at the Salisbury mega store Barns & Noble.
Shortly after “Primitive Soul” was released, Charlie Long passed away and Frank Nanna’s Father, Zip Nanna joined the String Dusters on bass fiddle. Talk came up about doing a new CD but then Zip passed away in Feb. of 2003. Both men were very much in their prime when they were called away. Charlie was only in his fifties and Zip in his early seventies. The String Duster’s flame was just about out when a spark from Nashville got them reignited. Mickey Justice brought his passion for Celtic music and poured it into the String Dusters mountain style and a new flame was born.
2006 marks the return of the String Dusters with a brand new CD “Thursday Night at Marilyn’s”. Commemorating the great Thursday night jams at Charlie and Marilyn’s house that started it all. Joining Marilyn, Frank and Mickey on the new CD “Thursday Night at Marilyn’s” are some of Delmarva’s best musicians and singers, Steve Quillen on fiddle, Larry Lynch on bass fiddle, Annie Williams on old time West Virginia fiddle and Mother and Daughter, Dottie and Sarah Beth Meadows on vocals. “Thursday Night at Marilyn’s” will take the listener on a musical journey that covers old time fiddle and hammered dulcimer tunes to Celtic inspired melodies and classic mountain style gospel songs.
The String Dusters are carrying the flame again and keeping traditional music alive and well with your support.