New Jersey-born Sam Edelston, a trailblazer in modern dulcimer music, brings his unique entertaining live performance to the stage on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Edelston’s concert is the official kickoff of the St. Luke’s 2026 concert series, partially funded by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission.
At the heart of Edelston’s set is music from his groundbreaking debut album, Making Waves, the first classic rock album to place the fretted dulcimer front and center in a full band setting. Blending original compositions with bold reinterpretations of songs by iconic artists like The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and Brandi Carlile, the album reimagines what this traditionally folk instrument can do—infusing it with energy, edge, and unmistakable rock spirit.
Edelston has made it his mission to “make the fretted dulcimer as popular and commanding as the guitar in popular music.” He has toured nationally, performed across 14 states and reached a global audience, amassing over 1.2 million YouTube views from listeners in more than 190 countries.
Critics have taken note. The Big Takeover touts “This is a brilliant example of songs being afforded new and parallel lives, different, deft and delicious enough to warrant their existence.” Rock blog Girl at the Rock Show raves, “It caught me just due to the sheer musicianship and the creativity that it must have taken to take such an epic track and pare it down into something that can be played by just one instrument.” Ultimate Classic Rock Magazine praises Edelston’s “frightening amount of rock mojo … we’re ready to jump in a van and follow Edelston around on tour.”
Sam Edelston is appearing in a solo performance on May 30 at St. Luke’s in Hope, NJ.
