Martha Spencer

Opening for Melissa Carper! Bandcamp Daily describes Melissa Carper as “ an old soul with a voice made for mid-20th-century radio and a penchant for throwback folk, jazz, blues, and Western swing. Some artists sound inspired by the past; Carper sounds like the past has come to life.” Born into a music-loving family, Carper was immersed in the music of Hank Williams Sr., Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and more .Learning to play upright bass in her Nebraska school, she also played and sang with her family country band. Hearing Jimmie Rodgers recordings made a defining impact on her music. “He combined country and blues and jazz,” she recalls. “All of those elements, and the rawness of those recordings…I can’t quite put a finger on it, but I was obsessed.” Born In Ya (2024), Melissa’s most recent record release – with title taken from a quote by the late Ralph Stanley about the source of old-timey mountain music – showcases Carper’s long standing influences including the pre-WW II jazz & swing featured on her debut record Daddy’s Country Gold (2021) and the R&B / Soul that was the backbone of Ramblin Soul (2022). Carper, along with fellow singer-songwriters Kelly Willis and Brennen Leigh, released a six song EP Wonder Women of Country which was one of the Boston Globe critics’ choice for favorite record of 2024. American Songwriter calls Carper “The contemporary queen of Western Swing.”