David writes . .

"Cyndi Lauper is my student, friend, teacher and inspiration. A New York based artist of worldwide renown, her distinctive voice and songs have shaped our musical landscape since 1983. It was a treat to find out years ago she was also a delcimore player who composed many of these songs on that instrument. We finally met in 1996 when I was working on my Tennessee Music Box project and was trying to find some country artist who would like to use the old box on a session. Cyndi heard me play ten seconds on the instrument and had an idea for her song "Fearless" from Sisters of Avalon. We recorded it together the next day. Other projects followed, and her own dulcimer playing has come to the forefront of her live appearances around the world. Probably more people have been introduced to the dulcimer through her than anyone in history. I was thrilled when she wanted to do a song on this disc. I wrote "Twilight Eyes" with my good friend, Herb McCullough, in 1987 and always hoped to hear her sing it. Thank you, Cyndi, for the most magical musical moments of my life."

SISTERS OF AVALON 1996 . . . David working with Cyndi

by Jan Pulsford

"I remember the first time I recorded the Tennesse Music Box with Cyndi. We were working on the ballad of Cleo and Joe. As usual the weather was working against us . . . it was one of the coldest nights on record and my studio out in the woods of Tennessee was not equipped to deal with such modern luxuries as heat. (Now modern technology is another thing but let's get our priorities right!) I felt like a pioneer and Cyndi felt cold as I set up the mikes and listened to David telling us stories about the Mulungeons. We decided that our dance song "Cleo and Joe" was really a Mulungeon stomp with David sawing away on the box over a distinctive dance beat and a bassline that had floated in from over the waters . . . just like the haunting drones and harmonies of the dulcimer whose strings pull many heartstrings as they are plucked or bowed. Next came "Fearless" which was recorded live with Cyndi playing and singing and David droning on the Tennessee Music box. The magic of that performance was captured on an old Akai tape machine which both Cyndi and I loved because of its' "warmth" . . . which of course we needed that night.

Later Cyndi added slide dulcimer to "Cleo and Joe" and the Soul Solution remix became a big hit in the dance clubs and Fearless closed the Sisters of Avalon album. David and I performed "Fearless" with Cyndi at the Starwood Amptheatre in the summer of 1997 on the Tina Turner/Sisters of Avalon tour " One day I think Fearless will become a dulcimer classic."