The Prairie Acre profile picture

The Prairie Acre

About Me


The Prairie Acre is working to bring old-time music to a new generation. Every time they pick up their stringed instruments, kick off a song and start making their distinctively twangy sound, they’re doing their part to keep alive the pre-MP3, pre-CD, pre-LP era when the best way to enjoy good music was to play it with your friends and neighbors.
This veteran quartet from Lawrence, Kansas has shared the bill with the likes of the Foghorn Stringband and Rhonda Vincent and has performed at prestigious venues including the Nebraska Bluegrass Festival and the 2008 Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering. In Spring 2009 the band released its fourth CD, “Who’ll Rock the Cradle?” a 15-song romp through traditional and original numbers that continues the band’s efforts to explore, adapt and revive songs that are woven into America’s folk-music fabric. The CD was recorded at Mike West's Ninth Ward Pickin' Parlor in Lawrence, KS and includes a guest appearance by Mike Horan of The Midday Ramblers on fiddle
The Prairie Acre’s signature sound comes from the rambunctious fiddling of Tricia Spencer (fiddle, vocals), and from members Noah Musser, (banjo, vocals); Greg Yother (guitar, vocals) and Virginia Musser (bass, vocals). They got together in Lawrence in 2002 and quickly built a loyal following among people throughout the Midwest and beyond who liked their family-friendly spirit, down-home flavor and instrumental talent.
Booking information is available by e-mailing Liz Weslander at [email protected].

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 28/11/2006
Band Website: theprairieacre.com
Band Members: Tricia Spencer, fiddle
Noah Musser, banjo
Greg Yother, guitar
Virginia Musser, bass

Influences: The Freight Hoppers, The Wilders, Sweet Sunny South, The Midday Ramblers, Foghorn Stringband, High on the Hog, Dirk Powell, Bruce Molsky, Rayna Gellert
Sounds Like: A commercial break on your grandma's first radio; driving on Kansas back roads in a minivan; a keg party for pioneers

The band's fourth CD lands them solidly in old-time territory. The 15-song romp through traditional and original numbers continues the band’s efforts to explore, adapt and revive songs that are woven into America’s folk-music fabric.

"The (band's) third self-released record 'Jaybird and the Sparrow-Hawk' is loaded with hot doses of revivalist old-timey fare, documenting the sound of a band hitting its stride and having a heck of a good time doing it." --lawrence.com

"Lawrence string-banders The Prairie Acre shoot straight down the middle and hit a bullseye with their Bill Monroe and Stanley Brothers-informed bluegrass." -- The Lawrence Journal World
Record Label: Independent
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

News coverage

We've been lucky enough to be featured in a couple of nice news pieces recently. The Lawrence Journal-World story Oh Baby focuses on our habit of carrying the young-uns on our backs when we play, as d...
Posted by on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:53:00 GMT

Some bands endorse strings; we endorse baby carriers

Yup, we love our Beco Butterfly baby carriers. See why at the Beco site:Beco Carrier News
Posted by on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:30:00 GMT

New t-shirts available online

Looking for a cool t-shirt? Check our our new original design athttp://www.cafepress.com/theprairieacreThis design by Noah was for our CD release party. Chock full of Lawrence references (John Brown, ...
Posted by on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:17:00 GMT

Buy the CD online!

The new CD, Jaybird and the Sparrow-hawk, is now available on CDbaby.comOf course, if you're in Lawrence, you always can go to the fine folks at Lovegarden,936 1/2 Mass St.
Posted by on Fri, 11 May 2007 11:45:00 GMT

Podcast/CD review

We got a very positive review of our new CD from the folks at lawrence.comThey also invited us to the studio for a podcast. Here's the link:http://www.lawrence.com/news/2007/apr/30/prairieacre/
Posted by on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:41:00 GMT

The new CD is here!!!!!

The Jaybird has landed! Just got our new CDs today - Jaybird and the Sparrow-Hawk. Featuring 17 kicking old-time songs. We are so excited. Can't wait until May 6, which is the official release party a...
Posted by on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:33:00 GMT

New videos online

Now you can see us perform in cyberspace! Find a bunch of videos at frontporchradio.net, live from Winfield 2006. The Front Porch was a wonderful place to play - if you didn't visit last year, make su...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:00:00 GMT

We're winners!

We had a great time at the Free State Music Festival this weekend - just about played until our fingers bled! The best news is that we won third place in the band contest! We hear it was a very close ...
Posted by on Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:09:00 GMT

CD update

The new CD is getting closer to finished. We re-recorded a couple of songs last weekend, so now we should just be into the production phase. Right now, we're aiming for an early May release date. We'l...
Posted by on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:31:00 GMT

Free State

The Free State Music Festival is this weekend, and we're so excited! We're going to be in the band contest on Friday afternoon (send us good vibes), and we'll be jamming late into the night on Friday,...
Posted by on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:29:00 GMT