leonard domler

has passed. i didn't even know. he was a friend of the family. i know his kids.

the last time i saw him was at a relative's (both his and mine but from different sides) wedding. he was very old and very frail. he still had that twinkle in his eyes though.

he (and fran) were special people. i'm glad their paths crossed mine

A Driving Force Behind Folk Music In The Hartford Area

By ANNE M. HAMILTON, Special to The Courant


Len Domler's first love was country music, but over the years, he became known for bringing Odetta, Pete Seeger, Doc Watson and hundreds of other folk singers to Hartford. They all performed at the Sounding Board or the Hartford Family Folk Festival, which Domler ran.

Started in 1973, the Sounding Board is one of the oldest continuously running folk music sites in the country, according to Susan Forbes Hansen, a folk-radio show host. "He kept this venue growing, and it spawned a lot of others in the area," she said. "It's helped make Southern New England a hub for folk music."And while he was known for his overwhelming admiration of Johnny Cash, Domler also became a convert to folk music..........