Mountain Musician

Dwight Diller (August 17, 1946 – February 14, 2023) was a distinguished American musician and educator, celebrated for his mastery and preservation of traditional Appalachian old-time music, particularly from West Virginia. His expertise was most notably recognized in the clawhammer style of banjo playing, though he was also proficient with the fiddle. Diller's contributions to music were deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of his home region, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, where he was born and raised amidst the mountain culture of east-central West Virginia. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers of the area, which significantly influenced his early interest in the region's traditional stories and music

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. Diller's approach to teaching and playing music was deeply holistic, emphasizing not just the technical aspects of music but also its cultural context and the profound emotional and rhythmic foundations that give old-time music its distinctive power and appeal. He believed in the importance of understanding the music's background, including the silence, rhythm, and cultural context, which he argued were crucial to bringing the music to life and making it "breathe"

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. Diller's teaching philosophy was encapsulated in his efforts to reveal the "background" of the music, striving to teach his students the deeper, more poignant aspects of the tradition that are often overlooked in conventional music education

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. Throughout his career, Diller was recognized for his dedication to preserving and teaching the traditional music of West Virginia. He received The Vandalia Award in May 2019, West Virginia’s highest folklife honor, acknowledging his significant contributions as a historian, philosopher, Mennonite pastor, and musician

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. Diller's influence extended beyond his local community through banjo workshops conducted across the United States and in England, as well as through a number of recordings and instructional videos that have been widely disseminated

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. Diller's work was not only about preserving the music of the past but also about ensuring its vitality for future generations. He was involved in various projects aimed at identifying, preserving, and propagating the cultural heritage of the Appalachian region, including developing and publishing media related to Appalachian arts, crafts, and music, and sponsoring events that further these cultural traditions

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. Dwight Diller passed away on February 14, 2023, after a fall at his home. His legacy, however, continues through the countless students he taught, the music he preserved and shared, and the profound impact he had on the appreciation and understanding of Appalachian old-time music

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