No one is like Jean Ritchie. Many, however, have been influenced by her. Jean combines the book-learning of a well-schooled folk revivalist with her early childhood growing up in the Cumberland mountains with traditional song sung by traditional singers. She is also an excellent songwriter (sometimes under the pseudonym 'Than Hall) and performer. We might not even know the Appalachian Dulcimer existed, and it might not have become widely played, except for Jean.

If you enjoy her music you need not despair, she has made many recordings over the years (although few are in print now, with some industrious searching they can be found in l.p. form, and Smithsonian/Folkways offers several on cassette).

For others who sing the "old songs" with a similar sort of authority, however, you might try Lou Killen or Hedy West.