Writing a few soundtracks to history

Think how much more meaningful school would have been if certain history courses were taught with live music and an era-appropriate soundtrack. Let's say your teacher wanted to focus on World War I and actual musicians played popular songs of the period to emphasize and enhance lessons covering events, battles, personalities and issues. How about similar formats to teach a survey of the women's suffrage movement or the role of music in the evolution of English-speaking maritime traditions? Beats the hell out of dry-toast textbook immersion or monotonic lectures. Musician/vocalist Rick Spencer and singer Dawn Indermuehle have developed a wide variety of short, self-contained programs — they serve as instructors as well as the sonic component — and perform regularly at museums, historical societies, libraries and festivals throughout New England. They'll appear Saturday at the Shaw Mansion in New London as part of "Marinerfest: A Salute to Sailors, Whalers, Pirates & Privateers," and indeed, "In Their Own Words: Songs of Our Seafaring Traditions" is one of the programs in their repertoire. The event is sponsored by the New London County Historical Society. Spencer, 72, a stylistically adventurous folk/sea music/Americana musician, started performing solo musical history programs in 2010, but the seed was planted way back when he was a member of Forebitter, the in-house sea chantey group at Mystic Seaport. That quartet combined repertoire and harmony with educational tidbits central to the museumgoers' experience. "Forebitter was doing one or two sets a day of sea music," Spencer said earlier this week, "and part of the performance was to explain how those songs were written by working sailors to describe their lives and experiences. Those days taught me that music can be used as a teaching tool." A surprise voice In 2015, in addition to his musical education programs and a variety of other solo and ensemble gigs, Spencer was looking to form a new group. His friend Indermuehle, now 56, who has booked and promoted gigs and done videography for Spencer since the 1990s, offered her centrally located home as a rehearsal spot. As the musicians worked on songs, Indermuehle, trying to stay out of the way, was in the kitchen singing along — quietly, she thought. "One of the guys could hear Dawn doing this amazing harmony," Spencer recalled, "and he called out to her. 'Girl, you can really sing!' And she really CAN. How did I not know that?!" Indermuehle, who had experience in school choruses and fostered a childhood fantasy that she'd provide background vocals for Barry Manilow, was flattered by the compliment but said, "Yeah, I can sing in my house, but not in public." Spencer nonetheless suggested Indermuehle write harmony parts to a few songs in his repertoire and could then join him onstage at shows as an occasional guest. Though nervous at the prospect, she did as he asked — and the partnership worked so well that Indermuehle found herself with an increasingly large role for some of Spencer's concerts. "Dawn doesn't like attention, but she desperately loves to sing," Spencer said. "She's the most voracious absorber of music of all styles, and she can pick out and analyze these really intricate harmonies. I realized she'd given herself an incredible musical education just by listening and singing." "I gradually gained some confidence," Indermuehle said, "but I was really scared because I didn't want to embarrass Rick. He's so good at what he does. Then I started suggesting my own harmonies and he was so patient and enthusiastic. Now we'll trade lead parts, and it's become so much easier with practice." A vast archive of music, history The duo's sound is rooted in simplicity and authenticity. Spencer is a master of several stringed instruments, and the pair's creative vocal blend has a natural, almost sibling-like quality. Their range and scope expanded when Spencer, developing a program about the Civil War, asked Indermuehle if she was familiar with a tune associated with the conflict, "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground." Indermuehle, who is also an enthusiastic student of history and a rabid researcher, did know the song and worked up a stunning and historically accurate harmony. Before long, she and Spencer joined forces to expand his musical/educational programs. Just a few of the programs they've developed and performed dozens of times are "From Seneca Falls to the 19th Amendment: Songs of American Woman Suffrage"; "Godspeed the Plow: Songs of Farming and Rural Life"; "Are We There Yet?: Songs of American Transportation"; "Historical Songs of Outlaws, Villains and Rogues"; "Songs of the Civil War: America's Earliest Professional Songwriters"; and "An Americana Collection" comprising a representative sampling of the country's musical eras. There are also a few specialty presentations. One is devoted to 19th century American Christmas celebrations and another highlights romantic songs through the ages. Indermuehle and Spencer will also customize a project that helps an individual or family explore DNA and ancestry. "This has very much become a 100% equal partnership," Spencer said. "In fact, Dawn has opened my eyes to possibilities I wouldn't have thought of, taking us in a modern direction." In that context, when they emerged after COVID precautions, Spencer and Indermuehle added such themes as "An American Pop Music Time Machine"; "The British Invasion"; "The Routes to the Motor City: American Rhythm, Blues & Soul"; and "The Brill Building Sound." "It's funny," Spencer said, "When Dawn suggested the Brill Building, I had to admit I'd never heard of it. Pretty embarrassing, but I was happy to learn about it and add it to what we do." Indermuehle laughed, "I was over the moon that I knew something musical Rick wasn't aware of." The Brill Building was essentially a Manhattan-based song factory, an office building wherein the "employees" — superb tunesmiths like Leiber and Stoller, King and Goffin, Sedaka and Greenfield, Pomus and Shuman, Bacharach and David — churned out decades' worth of timeless pop tunes. The increased sophistication of the "modern" tunes Spencer and Indermuehle learned has added a new dimension to their body of work. "Unfortunately, I don't play an instrument, so we're reliant on Rick coming up with a general framework for some fairly complex songs," Indermuehle said. "But he's really good at things like that, and we end up having a good time filling it all out vocally." Selling the song Spencer said: "We both know that none of this is about us as performers or wanting the spotlight. We want to present the songs in a way that reflects the essence of the song and also helps with getting the program's narrative across." Along the way, Spencer and Indermuehle have released a few recordings. The most recent is a 23-song CD called "The Anchor, Plow and Ballot," which includes archival and original material relating to life, joy, loss, hard times and good times through the prism of, as the title implies, sea music, farm life and suffrage. They continue to work steadily in museums, historical societies and libraries, and Spencer said the geography of their circuit continues to expand as word gets out. "People seem to really love us, and we get asked back or invited to new places based on recommendations," Spencer said. The only regret they have, he said, is that — of all things — they don't get many school bookings. "Sadly, schoolkids don't have the patience anymore," he said. "You can't separate them from their phones. It would be nice to get to play for a younger demographic, but we're really lucky to have a growing audience doing what we do and what we're planning to do." ——— IF YOU GO Who: Rick Spencer and Dawn Indermuehle What: "Marinerfest: A Salute to Sailors, Whalers, Pirates & Privateers" Where: Shaw Mansion, 11 Blinman St., New London When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday How much: Free For more information: catfeather.com, nlchs.org