News

News!
Gracious Visitor,
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Rick and Sarah

Posted by Rick, 17 August 2010
Catnip Daydreams, my book of cat cartoons is in hand and just waiting for you to get your copy. You can do that right here by going to www.catfeather.com/cartoons and using the Paypal button, or you can come out to where I'm performing and picking one up from me.

For those who would like to keep track of me through Facebook please come on over and sign on as a friend. www.facebook.com/catfeather

Check out my performances at the Chicago Maritime Festival by going to www.youtube.com and in the search box type in Chicago Maritime Festival 2010 Rick Spencer.

Upcoming appearances:
California, here we come!
I'm heading out west to do several appearances in my first California tour in several years. Looking forward to it. Here's the lineup:

Sunday August 29, 2010 3:30pm "Historic Songs of Outlaws, Villains and Rogues"
Yolo County Historical Museum
512 Gibson Road
Woodland, CA
The Yolo County Historical Museum, 512 Gibson Road in Woodland, CA has built a whole day of activities around my “Historic Songs of Outlaws, Villains and Rogues” presentation. The day will include tours of the museum, food and drink, arts and crafts and a costume contest. There will be appearances by champion fiddler David Rainwater, trick roper and whipmaster James Barrera, clogger Cheyenne Danner, Abe Lincoln re-enactor Wayne Scott and “Folklorico Latino de Woodland.” This looks like a fantastic event. It will run from 10am to 5pm. My presentation will be at 3:30pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth (age 6-12). Free for kids under 5. For more information go to www.yolo.net/ychm/index, call 530.666.1045 or email to ychmoffice@sbcglobal.net.

Thursday September 2, 2010 2:00pm "Historic Songs of Outlaws, Villains and Rogues"
Castro Valley Library
3600 Northbridge Avenue
Castro Valley, CA
I’ll be presenting this program for the Hayward Area Historical Society
PLEASE NOTE: This is a change of both location and time from the originally scheduled program. For more information: 510.581.0223 or johanna@haywardareahistory.org

Sunday September 5, 2010 time 4:00pm
Old Sacramento State Historical Park
Sacramento, CA
I’ll be doing a mix of traditional songs relating to various American history themes at the 11^th annual Old Sacramento Gold Rush Days event. This is a Labor Day Weekend-long heritage and history celebration with more stuff going on than I can list here. I’ll be in the big tent at 4pm, followed by a private reception and talk for a group of historians. For more information about this event go to www.sacramentogoldrushdays.com.

Monday September 6, 2010 2:00pm
San Francisco National Maritime Historic Park
Hyde Street Pier
San Francisco, CA
I’ll be doing a concert of maritime music aboard the 1890 ferryboat EUREKA. Admission is $5.00 for adults, free for ages 15 and under. Admission is also free with national park passes. For more information call 415.447.5000 or www.maritime.org

And then back home:
9/11 and 12 in Groton, CT:
Here’s a first for me. I’ve signed up to be a vendor at the Damn Yankees Cat Club 19^th annual Cat Fancier’s Association All-Breed Cat Show. I’ll be there peddling my book of cat cartoons “Catnip Daydreams.” The show is at the Ella T. Grasso Technical School 189 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT and runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 9am to 3pm on Sunday. For more information: www.catshows.us/damnyankees

9/18 in Canterbury, CT:
Saturday September 18, 2010 1:45pm or so
Canterbury Old Home Days, on the historic green, which is also the lawn of the
First Congregational Church on route 169.
I’ll be doing a mix of traditional songs at the event, which will be held from 10am to 4pm, rain or shine and will include vendors, crafts and trades demonstrations, tours of the 19^th century Green school, food and music. My presentation will begin sometime around 1:45pm or so and will continue until we’re all worn out. For more information: www.canterburyhistorical.org/events.

9/22 in Suffield, CT:
Wednesday September 22, 2010 7:30pm “The Civil War Era Music of Henry Clay Work”
Suffield Historical Society
Kent Memorial Library
50 North Main Street
Suffield, CT
For more information: robert.stewart13@att.net.

9/24 in Mansfield, CT:
Friday September 24, 2010 at 7:30pm
Mansfield Historical Society
Junction of routes 195 and 89 (First Church of Christ, UCC)
Mansfield Center, CT
I’ll be presenting a new historic music program for the first time! Very exciting. This will be the debut presentation of “The Greatest Hits of the Civil War: America’s First Professional Songwriters.” The presentation features songs composed by Daniel Decatur Emmett, Stephen Foster, George F. Root and Henry Clay Work. For more information: mansfield.historical@snet.net

9/26 in Seymour, CT:
Sunday September 26, 2010 2:00pm “The Civil War Era Music of Henry Clay Work”
Seymour Historical Society
59 West Street
Seymour, CT
For more information: psussman@snet.net

I continue to enjoy giving music lessons, and would be glad to pick up a few more students. Guitar, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, anglo concertina, songwriting, etc. I teach from home, will come out to you (as long as the distance isn't too great) or we can meet on neutral ground at The Music Bureau in Salem, CT. Competitive rates and a gentle, positive approach to learning music.

The Dr. Ashbel Woodward House Museum (of which I happen to be the executive director) is eastern Connecticut's newest historic house museum. The museum is open on the first Saturday of each month, from noon until 2pm, or by appointment. Send me an email and we can meet there. Our current exhibits are "Sowing the Seeds of Promise: The Franklin Educational Experience" and an exhibit of photography by artist Melodye Whatley. You'll find the Woodward Museum at 387 Route 32 in Franklin, CT.

That's All, Folks!
I think that's all the news for the moment. Please spread the word about this website to friends (or enemies, as you see fit) and remember that I love hearing from you. Email to rick@catfeather.com. As always, Sarah says hello and sends her best.
Until later,
Rick Spencer