Off The Record

Artist Performs “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” On Hammered Dulcimer And You Will Love It

Published on September 21, 2018

It’s not my first time to see someone perform on hammered dulcimer, but this is surely my favorite so far!

For those of you that don’t know Hammered dulcimer is a percussion-stringed instrument which consists of strings typically stretched over a trapezoidal resonant sound board.

The hammered dulcimer is set before the musician, who, in more traditional styles, may sit cross legged on the floor, or at a more modern style of standing or sitting at a wooden stand on legs. The player holds a small spoon shaped mallet hammer in each hand to strike the strings.

Ted Yoder Performs “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” on Hammered Dulcimer

Ted Yoder’s hammered dulcimer cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” became one of the most-watched Facebook Live posts in 2016 when the song received more than 103 million views from music fans around the world.

It’s no wonder the video went viral; when a barefooted Yoder performed the hit on his hammered dulcimer in his Indiana family’s backyard with his wife, kids, and a pet raccoon named Gidget in the audience, he immediately became an internet sensation known as the lovable “Dulcimer Dad.”

Ted’s passionate playing style and easy-going personality make him a natural online star.

But the roots of his talent and showmanship weren’t simply earned overnight; they’re steeped in an Appalachian musical tradition with origins which can be traced back to 300 BCE in Greece. Yoder’s played the dulcimer for decades and even won America’s National Hammered Dulcimer Championship in 2010.

His performance style in popular songs including Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” and classics such as “Amazing Grace” and “The Little Drummer Boy” have become known as “Yoderizing.” Why? Because until you hear Ted Yoder, it’s impossible to imagine that one wooden stringed instrument can sound like an entire rock band or a whole symphony orchestra all in one!

Make sure to follow Ted Yoder on his Facebook Page!