About Us

Anne has been playing hammered dulcimer for over 30 years. She made her Broadway debut in the orchestra of The Secret Garden in 1992–1993. She also sang for 10 years with the Cecilia Chorus in New York, performing twice a year at Carnegie Hall. Since meeting Ridley, her focus has been on the music of America’s history. She does most of the duo’s research, which has included combing through original sheet music, manuscripts, and songbooks at the Library of Congress, Colonial Williamsburg, the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and historical societies and archives.

Ridley has been playing violin since the age of 8 and has played everything from classical music to country and bluegrass. He began playing colonial American music while working at Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey in college. He has made five albums with the noted balladeer Linda Russell and seven with Anne.

For many years, Ridley was president of Enslow Publishers, Inc., which publishes educational books for children and teenagers. Anne and Ridley’s first five CDs were conceived with educational purposes in mind—to provide a classroom resource for young people, while also entertaining adults with an enjoyable history lesson. Their recordings include music from the families of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington and music of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Two of their recordings—Music of the American Colonies and Music for Abraham Lincoln—were named Notable Recordings by the American Library Association. The Lincoln CD also received the endorsement of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Most recently, they have made two recordings of historic Christmas music—To Hear the Angels Sing, Christmas Songs Through the Ages and their latest, Carol of the Bells, a Victorian Christmas.