A rare, melodious twang was heard this week on U.S. airwaves. The twangs came from an instrument which legend says was invented by a son of Methuselahthe lute, an instrument resembling an archaic mandolin. Rare too was the young lutanist who plunk-a-plunked and sang ballads on an NBC Sunday sustainer. Richard Dyer-Bennet, 28-year-old minstrel, is probably the only U.S. radio entertainer listed in Burke's Peerage.
Richard Dyer-Bennet got into Burke's by being related to a British baronet, Sir John Dyer. He got into lute-playing less simply. Although born in England, he had a U.S....