Biographies

This page republishes (auto)biographical profiles of autoharp players from issues of the Autoharp Clearinghouse, 1990-2000, edited and published by Eileen Roys; some of the profiles have updates as of circa 2007.  Here is Eileen’s introduction to the profiles:

“When I first took over the Autoharp Clearinghouse from Joe Marlin Riggs in the spring of 1990, I did so with several goals in mind for the publication.  It was never my intention to either copy or to compete with  The Autoharpoholic or Autoharp Quarterly.  Rather, in the form of a monthly publication, I wanted to create a means by which to circulate more current news and information than either of the quarterly magazines was able to do.  Keep in mind that this was at a point in time when very few people had computers and access to the Internet.  The cover portraits came about because, to the best of my knowledge, that concept had not previously been used.  My first few issues had just the portraits along with brief tributes to the performers depicted.  From those beginnings, the idea evolved into feature-length biographies (or, in some cases, autobiographies).  It pleases me to say that these were very well received and have since served to acquaint newcomers to our instrument with the pioneers and veterans that brought the autoharp to where it is today.   Autoharpers not included either declined or failed to respond to invitations.  No one was intentionally overlooked.”  Eileen Sampson Roys

Sketches by E. Bukowsky and S. Schneider.  Click sketch to read individual’s biography.