Treading Softly

April 2018
Download/Stream Only

Available at a large variety of music sites. To see a list of sites where this album is available please click here. Otherwise, please find links to the most popular download sites below.

Treading Softly

As some of you might know, it was the blues slide of Elmore James (mainly that which he employed on slower numbers) which introduced me to and made me want to play slide guitar. As much as I’m known as a blues artist, however, I am little known as a slide player outside that genre.

Consequently, I’m offering this ‘home-grown’ collection of soft instrumentals for listening when calmness is needed, such as at the end of day, driving in the midst the traffic stress or just as an escape from the world of noise.

The influence of Ireland has inspired much of this material—not in the traditional musical sense, but through its beauty, such as the hue of the Mourne Mountains on the northern east coast and, in the words of W.B. Yeats, “…I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

I am testing the waters and venturing out with some trepidation, hence this collection’s title!

Jeremy Spencer, March 2018

Track list:
  • Shy Love
  • Beside the Watermill
  • As Good as Heart Can Wish
  • Unadorned
  • Rhythms of Grace
  • Lovely Elegy
  • In the Twilight of My Life
  • Let Beauty Abound
  • Love in a Heartbeat
  • Heaven Coming Down
  • Blue Mountains of Mourne
  • Precious Little, Precious Few
  • Tread Softly on My Dreams
Categories: Albums

Jeremy Spencer

Early Life Born on 4 July 1948, Jeremy Spencer began piano lessons at age nine and switched to guitar at 15. While forming his own band, the Levi Set, in his home town of Lichfield, Staffordshire, he discovered Elmore James and emulated his style. His slide work and pounding voice caught the attention of record producer, Mike Vernon, who then convinced Peter Green to check out the pint-sized dynamo. Fleetwood Mac Alongside Peter’s B. B. King-influenced style, Jeremy’s contribution to the blues-based Fleetwood Mac consisted of singing and playing slide guitar in the manner of Elmore James, along with performing tunes by 50’s performers such as Elvis and Buddy Holly. The band’s unique sound of driving blues contributed to Fleetwood Mac’s international success. Jeremy recorded a solo album, simply titled, Jeremy Spencer, released in 1970. Besides one serious blues number, he light-heartedly covered rockabilly, surf and 50’s ballads. Becoming disheartened with his lack of inspiration, Jeremy departed Fleetwood Mac in 1971 to pursue a spiritual path; he joined a Christian commune. Post-Fleetwood Mac In 1972, he released Jeremy Spencer and the Children and Flee in 1979. Although he continued to avidly compose and occasionally perform, it would not be until 2005 that he would return to a commercial studio to record an unplugged CD and DVD called Jeremy Spencer in Session with an accomplished accompanying guitarist, Dave Briggs. A few months later, he recorded the album Precious Little in Norway with seasoned bluesmen, the Trond Ytterbo band. In 2012, Jeremy released Bend in the Road and two years later, Coventry Blue. On both albums, he collaborated with Detroit team of Brett Lucas and his band ‘Saint Cecilia’. Referring to Jeremy’s live performances, Art Tipaldi, former editor for Blues Revue and Blues Wax, said, “I’ve seen Jeremy Spencer perform four shows at the Notodden Blues Festival and I can tell you that each show was better than the previous. Jeremy has lost none of the fire from the Fleetwood Mac days. His slide guitar still sends chills. Every note I’ve heard Jeremy play showcases his great commitment to the blues. I’ve seen him ignite the stage with a mixture of classic Chicago blues and smart contemporary songs.” In 1998, along with the founding and present members of Fleetwood Mac, Jeremy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Due to his commitment to charity concerts in India at that time, he missed the induction ceremony held in the USA. Today Jeremy’s mastery of slide has improved with age and he is especially encouraged that his present musical style is appealing to many of the younger generation who know little or nothing of his association with Fleetwood Mac. Besides his musical endeavours, Jeremy’s artistic illustrations and creative writing further document inspirational forces at work. He is currently working in his home studio, developing a vast number of tracks garnered from his 50-odd years of musical inspiration; some of which can be heard in his latest offering, Homebrewed Blues.