Tom and Missy married on February 24, 2001. (Actually, Tom put this on here so that he could remember the date.) They have been teaching and playing dulcimer since marrying and developing their own style of playing. Currently Tom and Missy release their first CD, March in Ohio,  in 2003.

Missy Hauck Strothers is a lifetime resident of the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. She grew up in Mason, got a degree from University of Cincinnati, and got a job with Procter & Gamble where she still works. Missy bought her first dulcimer in 1984. It wasn't until 1990 that she took lessons from Nancy Bick Clark. She really got hooked when she attended the last Black Swamp Festival in 1992. Since then she has been a regular at many festivals - particularly an annual trek to Cosby, Tennessee. 

Missy grew up listening to all kinds of music. Her late father played mandolin. She often listened to Chet Atkins, bluegrass and Midwestern Hayride. She also likes Rock and the Oldies - especially the Beach Boys. This music has a strong influence on her playing.

Tom Strothers was born in Parkersburg, WV and grew up in Belpre, Ohio. He graduated from DeVry Institute of Technology before accepting a position with Bell Telephone Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio. Tom retired from Lucent Technologies in 2000 after 32 years with Bell Labs, AT&T, and Lucent. He began playing dulcimer in 1996. He moved to Seattle where he continued taking lessons until moving to Cincinnati to be with Missy.

Tom played trombone in high school marching band and also competed at regional and state solo contests. He played in a Tijuana Brass group and often jammed with rock musicians. Tom listened regularly to the music of Lawrence Welk, Big Bands, and rock. Having grown up in West Virginia, he listened often to traditional country music. His favorites are Hank Williams and Bob Wills. 

Together, Tom and Missy have adapted their style to virtually all types of music. They love to play with other instruments and have used those experiences to enhance their own style. They do not believe that there is a limit to what can be played with the mountain dulcimer. In recent open stage performances they have played a medley of Moody Blues tunes as well as "Minnie the Moocher."

Enjoy our site and enjoy our music,

Tom and Missy