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Hello!
I just randomly came across this board…I wanted to give some information about Kenny Bostard. I met him about 23 years ago, while I was in high school. He is still alive at 80, but has terminal cancer. He moved away from his handbuilt home/luthier workshop about 4 years ago as it was getting difficult for him to live that lifestyle on his own. He doesn’t have family, so my husband and I have become adopted caregivers during this last stage of his life.
I believe that he made his first instrument, a harpsichord, sometime in the early 60s. He has made a variety of Middle Eastern instruments including a Quanun, as well as folk instruments like hammer dulcimers and bowed psaltery. I think he began making harps professionally sometime in the mid 70s? His last harp must have been sometime around 2002ish. I remember that he worked on a harp at a time, usually took about 5-6 weeks to complete. After harps, he made Shakuhachi flutes for a few years.
We visit him each day, and he retains much of the meticulous nature which must have been very helpful as a luthier. However, his handwriting is probably even worse 🙂
