Spencer's website, referenced by katlaughing (above), should tell you most of what you need to know. He puts on a solo folk/blues/gospel act featuring his very impressive collection of guitars (acoustic boxes plus a couple of rare and beautiful electric lap-steel instruments). If he is in an area where he's played for years, he usually brings one or two local guest artists onstage to perform with him.

We've known each other for years, having both relocated to New Orleans from elsewhere back in the 70s. Our wives are very close friends (moreso than he and I, actually), and our kids are about the same ages and know each other also.

The kids did NOT, however, "grow up together," because for years the Bohrens enjoyed such an unusual and enviable lifestyle, touring North America full-time in a '57 Chevy towing a vintage Airstream trailer. The two oldest kids never attended "regular" school but were home-schooled in the trailer. The younger kids transferred from home schooling to New Orleans schools several years ago, when the family quit the road and began living in New Orleans full-time after years of just using the city as a "home base."

Spencer has actually become more popular/successful in Europe (especially Scandinavia) than here in the States, so he's cut back on domestic touring and begun to concentrate more on periodic trips across the pond.

It might be an exaggeration to say that Spencer has been so successful as a musician that he's *never* had a day job, but I know that he has had very little work experience outside music. A few years ago, he began to get scared that he'd have to start making a living at age 50, at some unknown new career for which he was not at all prepared.

Fortunately, it was right about then that he got his first gig on Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" NPR radio program, which pretty much rejuvenated his career. Keillor really likes him, has asked him back to appear more frequently than just about any other musical guest, arranged for remote broadcasts from Casper WY featuring Spencer with his mother and family and from New Orleans where Spencer not only played but also helped decide which other artists to book.

One other little note of interest to you UK folkies: When Martin Simpson spent a few months here in New Orleans a year or two ago, he and Spencer spent a lot of time playing together. I don't think any recording came out of their collaboration, but I mention this as (a) an endorsement and (b) a hint that these two guys found a good deal of common ground.