Sally Spring Performs in Watchung

Sally Spring, folk-rock marvel since the 70's, self released records long before the "indie" world was popular. Her latest recording, Mockingbird features not only her inimitable voice and evocative, powerful songwriting but also contributions a from star studded line up with her friends Gene Parsons (The Byrds), Marshall Crenshaw, Tift Merritt, Graham Maby (Joe Jackson, Natalie Merchant, They Might Be Giants, Joan Baez), Fred Smith (Television) and Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown, Tres Chicas) and charted a high of #5 on the Americana radio charts in Europe as well as made several “Best Of” lists including MIT’s WMBR radio.

Press, peers and the BBC agree on one thing—Sally Spring is the "real deal".  Called “a treasure” (Gene Parsons, The Byrds) and “a gem” (Bob Harris, BBC), Sally’s “transfixing, gorgeous alto” (Sing Out!), first-rate compositions (No-Depression) and “fantastic phrasing” (Net Rhythms, UK) give her music a tear-at-your-heart, “emotional complexity” (Net Rhythms, UK) that is mesmerizing.

Accompanied by her husband, the energized, rhythmic Ted Lyons (on the devil’s instrument—a vintage resonator) , Sally’s “voice, reminiscent of Emmylou Harris, Natalie Merchant and Tracy Chapman” (Das Rock, Germany), paints an Americana musical portrait that “reaches deep inside, is beautifully layered, has something to say and generates emotional heat that is white hot." (Americana UK).

She’s shared the stage with John Prine, Roger McGuinn, Tracy Nelson, Odetta, Taj Mahal, and Dave Van Ronk among many others. In the end, to Sally, it’s all about “touching people’s souls with song—bringing up the emotion from deep inside the listener” (Winston-Salem Journal).

Sally should not be missed. She was named one of the top performers by Gerde's Folk City in NYC when it was in operation along with other notable artists such as Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Lucy Kaplansky, Bob Gibson, and Jack Hardy. During each year of operation the venue named 10 to 15 top artists.

Born in California and raised in North Carolina, she literally started singing even before she could even speak. At 11 years old, she bought her first guitar, and despite being born without a left hand, Spring quickly figured out open tunings, accompanying herself on a local television appearance a mere six weeks after she started playing. Her teen years were a whirlwind of professional performances at coffeehouses, churches, parties and picnics, singing in the choir, appearing in school musicals and summer stock theater. Now many years later, Sally continues to perform at festivals, universities, and clubs wowing fans throughout the U.S. and Europe making "amazingly fresh music," as Relish magazine observes.

Sally was recently selected by the nationally recognized No Depression Magazine to perform in a show to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. Co-editor, Peter Blackstock, describes Sally as having "beautiful vocals" and an "A-list band."