For all of you old-time fiddle fans–here’s one to put on your calendar, and reserve your seats today! Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains are the real deal, having grown up surrounded by the music traditions of their families and communities. They are wonderfully talented multi-instrumentalists with authentic vocals and an endearing stage presence.
Tricia Spencer is a Kansas fiddler who grew up learning the tradition of old-time music from her grandparents. At an early age, she was perched up on some stage tapping her foot to the beat of fiddles, banjos, mandolins, and guitars. While growing up, her free time was spent traveling to festivals and fiddling contests throughout the Midwest where she learned from the likes of Pete McMahan, Cyril Stinnet, Lymon Enloe, Dwight Lamb, Amos Chase, and Lucy Pierce. Tricia is a multi-instrumentalist who has studied with some of the great masters and is highly sought after as a performer, dance fiddler, and instructor.
Howard Rains is a native Texas artist and a fourth generation fiddler (or “VY-lin,” as his grandfather would say), from a musical and artistic family, whose two obsessions are painting and playing the archaic style of fiddling of his home state. Howard plays rare, old tunes learned from friends, family, mentors, and old recordings. As much known for his painting as his fiddling, Howard has painted many of the great old time musicians, both living and gone.
Together, Spencer & Rains have performed and taught nationally and internationally, preserving and building upon the traditions of their regions. The husband and wife duo are known for their twin fiddle harmony, which is a product of the influence of midwestern Scandinavian fiddlers Tricia heard as a child. At the same time, Howard’s distinct repertoire reintroduces listeners to the pre-contest styles of Texas fiddling. That same sense of harmony is in their vocals as well, which they pull from all manner of American folk music. Spencer & Rains are steeped in tradition and dedicated to the preservation, performance, and teaching of old-time music.
House Concert Details
SLO House Concerts are by invitation and reservation only. Please click here to contact us to request an invitation and indicate how many seats you would like to reserve. We will then send you an email with directions and other helpful information.
7:00pm show: Doors open at 6:30pm. Concert starts at 7:00pm.
Suggested donation: $20. ALL of the money goes directly to the performers.
SLO House Concerts 