This October, two of rock’s most iconic songs celebrate their anniversaries: “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead, originally released on October 27, 1980, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, originally released on October 31, 1975. To mark the occasion, Connecticut-based singer-songwriter Sam Edelston is spotlighting his own versions of both songs, performed on the fretted dulcimer, from his debut album Making Waves.

Sam’s mission is simple but bold: to make the fretted dulcimer as popular and “badass” as the guitar in popular music. Also known as the Mountain Dulcimer or the Appalachian Dulcimer, the instrument is like a smaller, narrow guitar that is played on the lap and has only three strings.

A lifelong musician who played mainly guitar, Sam discovered the dulcimer over a decade ago and has since performed covers in almost every genre on it. But he wasn’t always a fan. “For many years, I had no respect for fretted dulcimers,” he admits. “They usually have only three strings and are missing a bunch of notes, and I was a fingerstyle guitarist accustomed to creating a full sound.” Once he actually sat down with one and quickly started coming up with performance-worthy renditions of pop songs, everything changed. “It was a bolt of lightning. I became an evangelist for it.“

Today, the fretted dulcimer is his primary instrument. His YouTube covers of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Who, The Ramones, Billy Joel, Taylor Swift and several other major rock and pop artists have garnered over 1.2 million views. He has toured in 16 US states and has viewers in 190 countries. His videos of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” and The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” both went viral, and his video of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” is featured in the dulcimer exhibit at the renowned Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

Sam has also gained celebrity status in the dulcimer world, playing festivals across the US and giving talks and demos on the instrument. He has performed and taught at Kentucky Music Week, the Colorado Dulcimer Festival, Dulcimer Day in Duluth (MN), the Lagniappe Dulcimer Fête (LA) and numerous festivals throughout the Northeast. He has also played to rock audiences at the famed Bitter End in New York City and the FabFest Charlotte (NC) Beatles festival.

The media has taken notice too. Ultimate Classic Rock praised the “frightening amount of rock mojo” he brings, as he roared through “Whole Lotta Love” on his amplified three-string mountain dulcimer. The Folk Project remarked, “‘You can’t do that on a dulcimer!’ Well, maybe you can’t but Sam Edelston can.”

Released in December 2024, Making Waves is the first-ever album to feature the dulcimer as the leading instrument on classic rock music in a rock band setting. Across 15 tracks, Sam covers classic rock and pop hits by The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Beatles, Chicago, Blondie, Motörhead, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon and Brandi Carlile, and even sings on some of the tracks. The album also features two compositions written or co-written by Sam.

“Big-name artists such as Joni Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, and Harry Styles have recorded with dulcimers,” Sam says, “but you never hear them play anything like this.“

With “Ace of Spades” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” both celebrating their anniversaries this month, there’s no better time to hear what three strings can do with two of rock’s greatest songs.

“With half as many strings as a guitar and, typically, no mistake notes, it’s the most logical first stringed instrument,” Sam adds. “There ought to be millions of young people begging their parents for one for their next birthday.“

Making Waves – Track List

  1. Looking at the Waves
  2. Wild Horses
  3. She’s Always a Woman
  4. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
  5. Sweet Caroline
  6. Colour My World (Feat. Teddy Parker)
  7. Please, Please Me
  8. Call Me
  9. If I Can’t Get to You
  10. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (Feat. Chesney Snow)
  11. Ace of Spades
  12. Bohemian Rhapsody
  13. Born to Run
  14. You and Me on the Rock (Feat. Teddy Parker)
  15. Looking at the Waves (Reprise)

Making Waves is available now on Bandcamp and all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

For more info:
SamtheMusicMan.com