Road Show by Peter Spink

By age thirteen he was on his way to mastering the guitar after routinely stealing the instrument from the

corner of his sister's bedroom when she was not around. Composing music came naturally to him, and began writing music at age 7.

After earning a degree in English from Vassar College, Mr. Spink spent the next few years as a free-lance journalist. It was during these years that he began to hone his song-writing skills, performing his original folk music in Greenwich Village clubs on open-mike nights. It wasn't

long before Mr. Spink's music found its audience, and soon Peter found himself playing his music on the folk circuit, touring coffeehouses, colleges and concert series.

In 1994, Mr. Spink released his first CD entitled, Won't Be Denied. The album, produced by bassist/pianist Scott Petito, contains eleven original "contemporary folk" songs by the artist and includes Paul Simon's "Song for the Asking." Won't be Denied features some of today's finest

musicians including Leslie Ritter on backing vocals; Jay Ungar (composer for the epic drama The Civil War) on fiddle and mandolin, and Randy Ciarlanti (of The Band fame) on drums. The CD was embraced by radio stations across the country with more than 40 AAA stations adding a total of seven cuts to their playlists.

An especially popular track was "Mary Said", a song about a woman Peter had met who

finally mustered up the courage to leave her failing marriage and start life anew. American Composer David Amram called Peter and the album, "A breath of fresh air to the industry."

Following the release of Won't Be Denied, Mr. Spink was recruited by Michael Lang to perform in Woodstock Reunion '94. He has since shared the stage with scores of well-known musicians, including John Prine, Anne Murray, John Gorka, The Bobs, Iris Demente, Richard Shindell, Katie Curtis, Dan Bern, Bare Naked Ladies, Vance Gilbert, Lucy Kaplansky, Cheryl Wheeler and

David Wilcox in various concerts across the mid-west and east coast.

In 1996 the owners of Chile Today - Hot Tamale (international manufacturers of spicy food products) approached Mr. Spink about doing a solo concert tour with a full band. As long-time fans of Mr. Spink's music, the entrepreneurs underwrote Peter's "Feel the Heat Tour",

allowing Peter's music to reach a larger audience. Of Peter's show, John Bates - Outta Sights & Sounds concerts organizer - writes "Peter is marked for greatness". The tour was such a success that it has become an annual summer event, now in its third year, encompassing about 40 shows in July and August.

Mr. Spink's newest release, All There Is, features performances by friends Ellis Paul, Cathie Ryan and Annie Burns. "The songs on this recording", Peter says, "tell of lives at the crossroads, of people wrestling with their demons or regrets". Peter's music, over the years has "opened up sonically and lyrically" writes Scott McLennan of the Telegram & Gazette. "It's adult fare, but with a definite kick". Rex Fowler, half of the legendary folk duo Aztec Two-Step, called All There Is, "Superb," containing "songs and a voice filled with urgency and passion."

The success of Mr. Spink's third CD, Road Show , resulted in numerous cuts finding their way onto radio playlists in Europe, Japan and Canada as well as across the United States. The New York Times called Road Show, " infused with optimism and the excitement of striking out upon new territory, new experiences. . . .'Road Show' is an impressive compilation." ELLE magazine, New Age Voice, and many others have praised Mr. Spink "live" in the studio recording, which captures the band's spontaneous organic melding, honed during years of playing together on the road.

Mr. Spink resides with his wife and three children in Katonah, New York. You can

have a 'virtual visit' with the artist and his music on the World Wide Web at www.peterspink.com

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