A native North Carolinian, Ruth fell in love the with sound of the hammered dulcimer at an apple festival in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her many years of classical training give her a special touch, and she is recognized for her delicate, expressive style. Dirty Linen Folk & World Music Magazine says “Ruth Smith's touch on the hammered dulcimer is absolutely magical, with exquisite phrasing, highlighting the range of the instrument especially on her own pieces.” Ruth enjoys composing music especially for the hammered dulcimer and her compositions have been featured on NPR's All Songs Considered, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, PBS TV's Song of the Mountains and in Dulcimer Players News. A popular instructor, she teaches hammered dulcimer workshops at festivals and folk schools throughout the country and is the author of From Heart to Hands and Touch of Grace, hammered dulcimer instructional books of her compositions and arrangements.

Steve Smith, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, has been a professional musician since 1965. He is an ASCAP award-winning songwriter, fingerstyle guitarist, old-time banjo and ukulele player. Steve lived and performed professionally with wife Ruth in Hawaii for 15 years (1975-1990). It was there he learned ukulele the Hawaiian way. His uke repertoire includes Hawaiian language, Hapa Haole (English lyrics with a sprinkling of Hawaiian words), and modern American popular music. He teaches workshops nationally at festivals and folk schools on ukulele, guitar, clawhammer banjo, recording, songwriting, copyrights & publishing, live sound reinforcement, and performing techniques. He performs and records with wife Ruth in the Acoustic Americana duo Steve & Ruth Smith.