Album Notes

Spencer’s original music has been compared to a variety of musical styles, from the soothing tones in acoustic Tom Petty songs to the mellow melodies delivered by rock powerhouses like Alice in Chains and Days of the New.

Sometimes simple with very basic arrangements, sometimes very orchestrated and complex, and always fueled by a need to express the deeper side of life, Spencer’s songs and melodies are unlike any other currently in the musical world.


Having developed a love for music very early in life, Spencer picked up his first guitar when he was 10. A schoolboy in the small rural community of Canyon Falls, Ky., he was fascinated with the virtuosity of guitarists like Jimmy Page, Edward Van Halen and Randy Rhoads.

At the same time, he possessed a deep appreciation for the songwriting prowess of artists such as Harry Chapin, Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac, and he learned the art of musical storytelling by studying them.

It was this mix of influences that led him to search for a musical middle ground between inspired simplicity, artistic vision and infectious melody.

Spencer spent the next few years experimenting with various playing styles and finding his own niche as a rock musician in an area where country music traditionally reigned.


Heralded as a unique blend of acoustic and pop music with a hint of bluesy undertones, the new album promises to take Spencer’s fans in a new musical direction. Spencer describes the album as the culmination of two years of soul-searching and songwriting in it’s most personal form.

From the haunting melody of “Ghosts of Freedom,” a song written to raise awareness of the plight of homeless veterans, to the soothing rich tones of “Danny Don’t Know,” the story of a close friend battling personal demons, Spencer has captured a variety of tales on his newest CD.

Perhaps even more impressive, though, are the skills Spencer demonstrates as an accomplished guitarist on many of the tracks on “Prophets, Fools & Sages.”

“Minstrel & Maiden” is founded on a beautiful acoustic melody entwined with complex riffs and bars blended to sound surprising simple yet complex at the same time.

The album’s title track, “Prophets, Fools & Sages,” showcases Spencer’s skills as both a rock musician and a sensitive acoustic guitarist, creating a juxtaposition as pleasing as it is unconventional.

M. Elkins