Tom chats to rising folk star, Katie Spencer.

A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to be joined by Katie Spencer, one of our favourite singer songwriters here at Tom Sands Guitars. 

Katie treated us to a breath-taking rendition of her song “Sweet and Gentle”, taken from her 2nd album “The Edge of Land” released in May this year. 

Playing on Lola, an M12 Swiss Spruce Madagascar rosewood Tom Sands guitar, Katie really blew our minds.

Tom caught up with Katie after her session to find out more about playing, her inspiration for her beautiful songs and how she feels about Lola. 

A self-taught guitarist, Katie was brought up on folk festivals and live music through her parents, though they weren’t musicians themselves. 

Learning all the classic riffs was sweet food for Katie’s ears - making sounds she could recognise - but she quickly realised that the music wanted to make was fingerstyle, intricate songwriter music after journeying through the late 60s, early 70s folk revival period via a BBC documentary. 

After learning to play the music she wanted to hear, Katie ended up writing her own songs and we are so glad she did! 

If you don’t already have a copy of her album, go get it now. It’s already a workshop standard for us, amazing song writing, beautiful guitar playing, stunning vocal and hooks that get into your brain – an album full of earworms you’ll be happy to have living in your head. 

When playing a guitar, the first thing Katie looks for is how it feels. 

Katie said that what struck her about Lola was how resonant it was – how she could really feel it on her body – “you can really react to how the guitar is responding the music, that was something that really grabbed me at first”. 

Next year Katie hopes to write some more music and visit Europe properly for the first time…and there will be a very special announcement coming soon from Tom Sands Guitars and Katie…watch this space!!

Follow Katie Spencer on instagram @katiespencermusic

Website www.katiespencer.net