Old Time Mandolin Music’s (OTMM) mission is to promote and spread the use of the Mandolin in Old Time Music (OTM) groups and bands.

OTMM’s website is a gathering place to learn about OTM and OTMM players and other resources to help the Mandolin player participate in the lively OTM community.

While most of the stuff found here will be related to Old-Time Country music, I believe in the big tent approach to Old Time Music and the mandolin (too much good music to ignore music genres outside of OT country music).  That means you’ll find mandolin musicians and music that comes from a variety of genres including, but not limited to early Jazz, Blues, and Ragtime as well as Old-Time Country Music.

Another way to think about this is to think about the New Lost City Ramblers.  NLCR was/is primarily known for playing Old-Time Country music, but they also recorded, with the mandolin, Blues and Ragtime music.  NLCR recorded music from many string band genres including Cajun music (Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulet!).

The emphasis here is really on the mandolin as part of a string band.  Most of this music was recorded during the three decades leading up to WW II.  That’s not to say I’m going to ignore a perfectly good new fiddle/mandolin tunes like Indiana Breakdown or L’ville.  I like to think that a lot of this music would be played around the house or neighborhood gatherings.  While this music is well represented by “professional” musicians, it is also a music that was and is actively played by amateur musicians.

Please send any questions, thoughts, ideas, manifestos, declarations, ramblings, meanderings, pat on the backs, or complaints to Paul Lucas at paul@oldtimemandolinmusic.com.  I look forward to your help in growing OTMM.

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