Becky King and Nancy Cardwell

Nancy and Becky will work with you to provide the acoustic music that fits perfectly for your event. We are comfortable playing background hammered dulcimer/guitar music at parties or being the featured performer for your program--or performing selected individual songs as a part of your wedding or other special event. If we know your request or can easily learn it, we will play it. If it's something stylistically that is outside our musical orbit, we'll be honest about that, too. We will bring our own small PA system unless you already have one you'd like us to use. Please request a stage plot for microphone placement if needed. Sets are 45 minutes long, with a 15 minute break when we play for more than one hour. Both Becky and Nancy occasionally work as solo artists, but when they perform together expect acoustic guitars and bass, hammered dulcimer, two lead singers, and beautiful vocal harmony. We're flexible, and we offer Christmas music (sounds *great* on the hammered dulcimer), plus so much more! Contact us, and let's chat!

Nancy Cardwell and Becky King have been performing together as a duo since they both moved to North Carolina in 2018--Nancy from Nashville and Becky from Minnesota.

In addition to 20 years on staff at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), Nancy Cardwell has worked as a Spanish translator for the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, and she served as the executive director of the IBMA Foundation from 2016-26. In 2016-17 she also worked as the bass player for Jesse McReynolds and his Virginia Boys, performing regularly at the Grand Ole Opry. She is a freelance journalist on the writing staff of "Bluegrass Unlimited" magazine, and her book "The Words and Music of Dolly Parton: Country Music’s Iron Butterfly" (Bloomsbury Publishing) was published in 2009. Nancy is an ASCAP songwriter whose songs have been recorded by other artists, as well as by her own bands. She led an a cappella Christmas caroling quartet in Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and she's working on putting a group together in N Carolina. Nancy has recorded six albums (solo, The Coventry Carolers, The Persimmon Sisters, The Wildwood Girls, Dulcimer Dance (hammered dulcimer/flute), and Choice Cuts (various artists from Branson, Missouri).

Originally from Minnesota and a fitness teacher for the YMCA, Becky King is a versatile singer, dancer, and guitarist comfortable performing in a wide variety of musical styles--ranging from folk, country, popular music, and jazz to opera, swing, bluegrass, and gospel music. A gifted singer, audiences are enthralled by the purity and beauty of Becky's vocals. And when she and Nancy's voices blend together in harmony, they sound like they could be sisters!

When the duo shifts into instrumental mode, Becky plays rhythm guitar and Nancy takes the lead of hammered dulcimer. Their set list includes fiddle tunes, hymns, Irish songs, and waltzes.

Book Nancy Cardwell & Becky King at your upcoming event, for a unique, engaging, roots-based music experience. We look forward to meeting you!

For the duo, two vocal stands and mics needed. One boom stand needed for micing the hammered dulcimer from the bottom.
The duo brings their own amps for acoustic guitar and acoustic bass.
Both artists stand while performing.
The duo travels with a small PA system, but they are happy to yours yours if you prefer and it is set up for acoustic instruments and vocals.