2023 JUNO Nominee
- Blues Album Of The Year
2019 Independent Blues Awards Nominations
-Independant Blues Rock CD
-Best New Artist
-Best Contemporary Blues Song
2017 Blues Artist Of The Year
-Niagara Music Awards
2016 New Artist Of The Year
-Maple Blues Awards
International Songwriting Competition 2016
-3rd Place Winner Blues Category
2016 Toronto Blues Society
-Talent Search Winner
"I'm only myself when I have a guitar in my hands." - George Harrison
At 23 years of age, Spencer Mackenzie celebrates his first JUNO Nomination for Blues Album Of The Year for his new album 'Preach To My Soul! He also celebrated three 2019 Independent Blues Awards Nominations for Blues Rock CD, Best New Artist and Best Contemporary Blues Song, Niagara Music Awards Blues Artist of The Year, Maple Blues Awards New Artist of The Year, 3rd Place International Songwriting Competition winner in Blues Category, and Toronto Blues Society Talent Search Winner.
He accomplished this and recording his new album while completing four years of college as a music major and now honours graduate at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.
Spencer’s newest release ‘Preach To My Soul’ is out now and making some serious noise, earning a JUNO nomination, rave reviews, and hitting the top of the Blues charts. Live on stage this album captivates the true blues audience while crossing the barriers to inspire the blues-rock, soul and roots fans!
His previous album ‘Cold November’ working with Eddie Kramer brought his experience to a whole new level! “With an eye towards the future, he’ll be the one taking the blues there with him…Cold November is jaw-dropping in its maturity!”-Rock and Blues Muse
Preach to my Soul, Mackenzie’s third studio album, pushes the boundaries with his talent, passion, and an incredible team behind the album with Emmy Award Winner and Juno Nominated producer Ross Hayes-Citrullo and Juno award winner Steve Strongman special appearance on Paranoia Blues, and many more talented musicians all giving their incredible talent to this album.
Spencer has developed a tone, a vintage sound, a style that resonates and phrasing of a seasoned pro. Music is language. Words matter as do notes. Where they reside in a solo and how when layered they sometimes crunch and distort, at others sing and sting, is where his artistry resides in this new album. 'This is music that will make you feel something, maybe even grab you and shove you up against the wall. This feels like the beginning of something big, maybe even huge.' - Gonzo Okanagan (Canada)
“In the new recording, I’m thoroughly connected to my roots. The title track Preach to My Soul, essentially refers to just that. The powerful influence from those that came before me are fundamentally preaching to my soul, channeling their passion, communicating their love for the Blues to come through me in my music.” Some tracks have a heavier guitar feel, some intricate blues all influenced with more of a blues-rock intent behind it. Preach to my Soul is a new direction for Spencer, it is sure to captivate the true blues audiences while crossing the barriers to inspire the blues-rock, soul and roots fans!
Spencer is excited and looking forward to performing to audiences everywhere while he plans his 2023 season. Previous festivals include: The Lighthouse Blues Festival (ON), Montreal International Jazz Festival (QC), Festival Blues d’la Baie (N.B.), Tremblant International Blues Festival (QC), Trois-Rivières en Blues (QC), Southside Shuffle Blues Festival (ON), Badlands Roots and Blues Barbeque (AB), First Ontario Performing Arts Centre (ON) and more! Stay tuned for some exciting festival announcements including some European dates. 'Preach To My Soul, could well be before the major international breakthrough of Spencer Mackenzie.'- Concert Monkey (Belgium)
Media Quotes:
'This is music will make you feel something, maybe even grab you and shove you up against the wall.....This feels like the beginning of something big, maybe even huge.' - Gonzo Okanagan (Canada)
“His guitar playing is crisp and clean even as it delivers some down- to-the bone licks…He’s got the blues power in his soul...”
- Blues Blast Magazine.
‘Spencer Mackenzie has a few things that older blues veterans can’t speak to and those are his strengths at this point–his youthful hope with an eye toward the future… and he’ll be the one taking the blues there with him. Believe it!’ - Tom O’Connor, Rock and Blues Muse (US)
'Preach To My Soul, could well be the major international breakthrough of Spencer MacKenzie.'- Concert Monkey (Belguim)
Spencer Mackenzie sets the bar high with an album of great maturity, one of those works that we would swear out of the discography of an old veteran who has spent many years on the chitlin 'circuit to get so much mastery.’ - Fred Delforge, ZicaZic (FR)
‘The proof, as someone once said, is in the pudding, and Mackenzie is not only a mean guitarist with a throaty and surprisingly mature voice, but he has an obvious innate feel for the blues that some players spend a lifetime not connecting to.’ - Shane Pinnagar, 100 Percent Rock Magazine (US)
‘Virtuoso pulls out all the stops in his new album!’ - Concert Monkey (Belgium)
‘Goodbye Lucille is the best musical tribute to BB King I've ever heard.’ - Blues Matters Magazine (UK).
'As is often claimed in such cases, Spencer Mackenzie turns out to be something of an old soul transported into a young body. How to explain if not that at barely 22 years old, his guitar playing expresses so much the still vivid memory of heroes of yesteryear?'- Paris Move (France)
‘Working with producer Dean Malton and on one track none other than Eddie Kramer, he has moved into the big leagues.’ – John Valenteyn, Toronto Blues Society (CA)
‘On Cold November, he aims to warm people’s hearts instead of their libidos. He’d give crooner Sam Smith some stiff competition if the two ever performed together.’ - Rainey Wetnight, Blues Blast Magazine (US)