Tom Yocky Mountain Dulcimers Biography

The first mountain dulcimer I ever saw was owned by a musically gifted friend. It was an inexpensive teardrop shaped dulcimer and I watched and listened in wonder as he played it a couple of times with a group of friends gathered around. At that time, I had started to teach myself to play guitar, and was amazed at what happened when I got a chance to try out the dulcimer when nobody was looking. After just a couple of minutes, I was able to make sounds that some might mistake as music. Over two years later, I began to learn my trade as a woodworker. Just for fun, I thought I would try my hand at making a musical instrument. My first attempt was an instrument I called a "Yock-a-lay-lee." It mildly resembled a guitar in that it had a neck with frets and a soundbox attached to the end of it. I never expected it to really "work," being built on a whim, but it did...at least enough to show me there was potential to eventually make something that really could produce nice music.

I next made an attempt at building a dulcimer, completely by memory, because at the time I couldn't remember the name of that silly instrument I had seen for a brief time over a two years earlier. The result was way off as you can see. but again, it seemed to "work" as far as making music.

I then did some reading at the library, and after a number of attempts, this was the result.

My ability to play a dulcimer has improved as much as my ability to build a dulcimer. In fact, my playing has helped shape and direct my building. For example, I quickly wished I had a place to rest my right hand while playing, so I built in a palm rest.

This is me today

I'm 28 years old, I live in busy Long Beach, California and work as a cabinet maker for a major producer of private business jets. My beautiful wife Sarah and I are expecting our first child in late February, 2003. Making dulcimers is a hobby of mine, but I am hoping to turn this hobby into a more significant role in my life. Someday I hope to live in a more secluded, peaceful area, and to make a living building dulcimers and other woodworks in a home workshop. For now, its just a dream, but Sarah and I are working towards that way of life. We even have the spot all picked out.


Sarah and I Christmas 2002	Sarah before she was pregnant (just so she doesn't kill me)

This is our 3.68 acres in Oregon where we hope to someday build a house and live.

---THIS JUST IN---

Feb 28th, 2003 at 5:37am our baby girl Willow Morgan Yocky was born. 8lbs 15oz, 22" long.

Willow at 3 1/2 months Above

Below, June 23rd, 2003 at Sunset Beach (near Seal Beach, CA)

As of September, 2003 We have moved to a nice quiet home in the country near Caldwell, Texas.

We are still getting settled in, and I am in the process of building a workshop, but this is my idea of Paridise. I will be rewriting this entire bio page soon.

December, 2004
OK, It's really time to update again.
We have been happily living here in Texas for over a year now.

The shop is built,

I've been busy building lots of dulcimers for people across the USA and even have a couple in Canada and a few in England.

I've been slowly improving our property, trying to make use of the natural materials at hand. (someday we will change the house color!).

I have taught a few woodworking classes that were a lot of fun. The kids all built themselves a simple but nice dulcimer and had a brief lesson on how to play it.

I have also started a Boy Scout Troop (Troop 99) For our "Send us to summer camp" fund raiser, guess what we are doing? Building dulcimers!

Willow is growing up quick (almost 2 years old now) and will soon take over operations.

--- THIS JUST IN, AGAIN---

On July 30, 2005 our son Wyatt Alder Yocky was born at 9:58 am.
11lbs 1/2 oz., 22 1/4 inches long
He was born at home with a midwife.
(Yes, they are both named after trees)

Wyatt at 3 1/2 months old

Wyatt at 2 mos, a really happy guy. Wyatt (6 mos) and our dog Scout in the yard.

Willow started T-Ball this year. She was the youngest on her team, but not the smallest! She "played" right field and she batted right handed even though she's left handed.
I think she may go south paw next season, though. She got a hit her first at bat. Hey batta-batta.

In the spring we began construction on a play house for Willow, complete with her own bridge. She began a long career of helping her dad by being a "human clamp".

We finally took care of that house color.

Wasting no time in training the future of our business.

Willow is enjoying her new partner in crime

August 2006
Willow 3 1/2 and Wyatt 1

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And again,
THIS JUST IN.....

Caleb Elm Yocky was born on April 11, 2007
5 lbs 14 oz, 19 inches long
He was born 5 weeks early!

Caleb at 2 weeks old

BROTHERS!!! Caleb and Wyatt
(love playing cars!)

What do you do when your house is full of little kids?

MAKE IT BIGGER!!!
In August of 2007 I began construction on an addition to our house. The siding is split 2 X 4's, whew, that was a lot of work!
The wood siding was so pretty it broke my heart a little bit to paint over it.

ALSO THIS YEAR.....

I built a red canoe of thin plywood covered over on the outside and along joints with fiberglass using a simple "stitch and glue" method. After trying it in our local ponds I gave it a real test by paddled it down the Brazos River for six hours. That was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing it again (this time with another person to help paddle).

Wyatt and I in our local pond.

View of the Brazos River.
I tried to make those rapids look as intimidating as possible, but in reality they were really quite small.

Willow started Homeschooling Kindergarten, and played T-ball again.

Willow's first day of school Go Ladybugs!!!

Wyatt turned 2 (almost 3 now) And Caleb turned 1

And I am very, very tired.

The Yocky's Fall 2007

-- 9/13/2008 --

A couple of years ago, I started playing a really fun sport. Disc Golf, also know as "Frisbee Golf" or "Frolf." The sport works just like regular golf, except of hitting a ball with a club, you throw discs or "frisbees." It's a great game. All the thrills, benefits, and complexity of regular golf come into play, except no green fees and no funny pants or shoes. My uncles introduced me to the sport long ago in the 80's when it was just starting out and there were only a handful of courses in the world. I was just a kid and they let me tag along with a beach frisbee while they played. A couple decades have passed since those days and the sport has grown a lot. The discs are very different these days and you would be amazed how far some people can throw them. Anyway, after about a year of playing the game essentially by myself, I joined a local club and learned a lot being around more experienced players. After 9 months in the club, I started entering some disc golf tournaments and have done well. Granted, I'm playing in the lower divisions, but the thrill of competition is the same. Now after 3 or 4 months of entereing tournaments, I have decided to start hosting my own tournaments (mainly so I don't have to drive 2 hours each way every weekend to enter tournaments in other cities). So once again, I have turned what started out as a hobbie into a business-type venture.

In addition to Tom Yocky Mountain Dulcimers, I am also running "Stop Crying Disc Golf." It's pretty simple, I promote and hold disc golf tournaments, and I sell disc golf merchandise (mostly at my tournaments, but I will also put together an online store although it will be impossible to compete with the big discgolf stores)

So check out my sister site, "Stop Crying Disc Golf" , and if you enjoy "ball golf" , or just enjoy walking outdoors, I highly recommend giving disc golf a try.