David Schnaufer, 53; Musician Helped Revive Popularity of Dulcimer

David Schnaufer, 53, a session musician who recorded with Johnny Cash and Chet Atkins and is widely credited with restoring the popularity of the dulcimer, died Wednesday in Nashville after a long battle with cancer.

The dulcimer, which looks like a cross between a guitar and a violin, evolved from zithers brought to North America by German immigrants in the 17th and 18th centuries and was common in Appalachian folk music.

A native of La Marque, Texas, Schnaufer won several dulcimer contests and sent recordings to country labels and artists before moving to Nashville in the 1980s, according to Vanderbilt University.

He became an adjunct associate professor at the university’s Blair School of Music. Among those he taught to play the instrument was pop singer Cyndi Lauper.

Besides Cash and Atkins, Schnaufer recorded with the Judds, June Carter Cash, Kathy Mattea, Mark Knopfler, Emmylou Harris and many others.

Schnaufer’s solo albums included “Delcimore” and “Dulcimer Deluxe.” Among his compositions was “Blackberry Winter,” a concerto with the Columbus (Ga.) Symphony that Russian figure skater Ekaterina Gordeeva used in her performances.