This Labor Day weekend, the foothills of North Carolina will come alive with the sounds of bluegrass at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, offering an elevated festival experience for music lovers.
Headlining the event is Martha Spencer, a multi-talented singer-songwriter and mountain musician from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. A member of the renowned Spencer family, Spencer’s musical roots run deep. She learned to play a variety of instruments from a young age, including the guitar, fiddle, banjo, bass, dulcimer, and mandolin, while also mastering the traditional Appalachian dance forms of flatfooting and clogging.
Spencer has built a distinguished career, performing with various groups and participating in numerous roots music projects. Her talents have taken her to stages across the United States, as well as to Australia, the UK, Canada, and Europe. Her debut solo album, released in 2018, and her latest work, Wonderland (2022), have received critical acclaim, with features in prestigious outlets such as Rolling Stone Country, No Depression, Holler, Wide Open Country, Bluegrass Situation, Americana Highways, and PopMatters. Her contributions to the music world have also been recognized by major publications including the New York Times, Austin Chronicle, and Billboard. Additionally, Spencer was featured in the documentary film Fiddlin’.
This weekend’s festival promises to be a remarkable celebration of bluegrass music, with Martha Spencer’s performance highlighting the deep cultural and musical traditions of the Appalachian region.
