On the heels of the February 20 release of Empty Chairs, blues-rocker Spencer Mackenzie sat down with Blues Rock Review to reflect on a musical journey that’s gathering flourishing momentum.
A bright spark appeared a few years ago from the young Canadian artist when his third album, Preach To My Soul, received a Juno nomination (Canada’s Grammy) and a Maple Blues Award. That bright spot caught the attention of the world, and Blues Rock Review (BRR) was among the first publications to sit up and listen, securing an exclusive premiere for his video “Don’t Wanna Be Your Dog.”
Mackenzie told BRR that Preach To My Soul, on the Gypsy label, was definitely a turning point in his career. “Following the Juno Nomination we went to Europe and the band began to really gel,” he said. “We began to communicate a lot better and the energy showed on the stage.”
In fact, that European tour gained immediate accolades with reviewers noting ‘he is renowned for his high-energy shows.’ Mackenzie chuckled, recalling that praise. “It was like, ‘This guy came to Europe one time and he was energetic as hell,’ but I appreciated them holding me with that kind of praise already.”
Empty Chairs is his fourth album and attention to the burgeoning artist is exploding around the globe. Still with Gypsy Soul Records, besides Mackenzie on lead guitar and vocals, the album features Miles Evans Branagh on piano and Hammond organ, Stacey Shopsowitz and Steve Pelletier on bass, Adam Canon and Matt Burns on drums and Sandra Bouza, Chantel Williams and Ross Hayes Citrullo on background vocals.
The 26-year-old began his musical journey early on and he is quick to credit his family for constant guidance.
“They put a guitar in my hands at age five but they’re not the typical manager parents you would think. When it comes to going to gigs and letting me have a good time, they’ve always just let me do my thing. I’ve been so thankful for that,” he acknowledged.
“On the other end of that, they both have helped me understand music as a business. They help me navigate this (business) stuff and I couldn’t do it without them,” he said.
Mackenzie demonstrated a maturity early on, showing an understanding of the importance of promotion and getting out beyond local venues and gigs. “It was tricky doing it alone; I couldn’t even drive yet, and I couldn’t do it without my parents.”
Mackenzie noted his mother, Sandra, who has a business background, helped tremendously with paying the bills, the band, and the taxes and doing the bookkeeping. And dad Richard has been a writing partner on several of the tracks throughout his discography.
“He’s (Richard) definitely a musical encyclopedia. Growing up, he helped me with the history of recordings. He grew up with fine arts, he wrote songs early on starting with (Spencer’s first album) Infected With the Blues. By the second album, Cold November, we wrote a lot more. He loves poetry and music so much. He’s a lyrics guy for sure,” revealed Mackenzie.
In fact, in each of the years 2016, 2017, and 2018 Spencer and Richard have been recognized for their submissions to the International Song Writing competition.
The young rising star is also quick to credit his Niagara-based influences who helped along the way, including mentors John Navaroli and Elton Lammie.
He also continues to appear at venues where musical friendships flourished. As early as age 13, he was a frequent performer at Donnelly’s Pub in Thorold, Ontario, which features weekly blues shows. “It was (local front-man) Max Hillier who directed me to Donnelly’s, where I met (host guitarist/singer) Brant Parker.”
“Brant is the most generous musician I know. He got me to play there and then play at other nearby gigs in guest spots. I got up and played with great players like Jack de Keyzer and I thought, Wow this is awesome.”
Those early jams and appearances led to his invitation to the local Canal Bank Shuffle Blues Festival in 2015. It has featured superstars like Joe Louis Walker, Lucky Peterson, Ghost Town Blues Band, John Primer, Anthony Gomes, Dawn Tyler Watson and dozens more during its 22-year run.
Festival organizer Tim Sinnett gave him the opportunity to get on the same stage as these blues superstars and Mackenzie leapt at the chance. At the age of 15, he opened on the main stage which led to subsequent appearances. In 2016, he jammed with the great Bob Margolin and Buffalo’s Hayden Fogel. Later that year, he opened for guitar monster Chris Duarte. Then in 2017 he played with Paul DesLauriers.
Throughout that era, Mackenzie made it a point to get out to local jams and shows. “Even when I wasn’t playing I loved to come out and watch people play and I learned so much,” he said.
Starting at such a young age, he has been compared to a young Joe Bonamassa and Johnny Lang. Mackenzie doesn’t mind, but observed, “I think it’s more important to draw those comparisons now, at this age. Because originally they were made only because I was young.”
“I’ve seen Lang live and his energy was just wild and I think I’m being recognized for my energy. And I really like being compared to Joe, because there are so many live records he has that I sunk my teeth into. I drew a lot of inspiration from him,” he explained. “To be compared to those two great guys? They just have the best thing going.”
Currently, he’s thrilled to be represented by Brian Slack in Canada and the Peter Noble PR Consultancy in Europe. Noble handles stars Joe Bonamassa, Ally Venable, Beth Hart, Eric Johnson, Matteo Mancuso, Dion, Samantha Fish and others, and Mackenzie finds that surreal.
“Having Peter Noble in the UK – it’s really something,” he exclaimed. He points to it as one of those career-turning points. “To know that I’m starting to be in that same world, is something that I take tremendous pride in.”
His team has planned several Empty Chairs album launch parties in various cities and Mackenzie says that’s because “I wanted to make sure all the people I grew up playing this music for had a chance to see it. Getting to all these communities is really the reason I do what I do. Playing live is just one of the joys of my life.”
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