Charissa Hoffman’s Original Song | Cumberland River Dulcimer
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Charissa Hoffman took the Cumberland in a direction I hadn’t heard before, and I really loved what she found in it.
She was learning clawhammer banjo at the time and started wondering how some of those open tunings might translate to other instruments. In particular, she was drawn to G modal tuning and that mix of major and minor sounds. That Dorian feel turned out to be a really interesting fit for the Cumberland.
She also experimented with a capo, which opened up another side of the instrument and let her explore those modal sounds even further.
The song itself has a much deeper story behind it. Charissa wrote it while reflecting on her family’s long history with addiction and her experience of being the second link in the chain to break that cycle.
Her advice for listening is pretty simple: let it wash over you and mean what it means to you.
Charissa also has a full-length album coming out October 16, 2026, featuring Chris Eldridge, Béla Fleck, John Mailander and more.
Really excited to share this one with you.