Have you ever picked up a kitchen utensil and thought about making music with it? If you’re Abby Roach the average kitchen spoon is your go-to instrument. Her choice of instrument has earned her the name Abby the Spoon Lady on the streets of Asheville, North Carolina.
“I started (playing spoons) while hopping trains around the country, as it was an easy way for me to fund myself state to state,” Abby says. “Never did I imagine that playing silverware would end up being any kind of career path. I just wanted to get by.”
Abby has spent the last 15 years perfecting her craft. She seems to effortlessly control the spoons to create a beautiful and fascinating sound. These days she’s a busker, or street performer, in Asheville, but occasionally holds music and storytelling events about “the life of the modern hobo.”
While performing in Asheville she met fellow busker and one-man band Chris Rodrigues. Initially the two musicians played with separate groups, but eventually started performing together at the suggestion of Chris’s mother, Terry. Chris and Abby have spent the last five years creating what they call “front porch music.”
“Chris is my best friend, and he is like a brother to me,” Abby says. “We play and pray together, and we look ahead to the future with lots of hope and faith.”
Abby and Chris’s musical talents perfectly complement one another, and now they bring their act from the street to the stage. The Shelby County Arts Council is happy to welcome this musical duo to the Black Box Theater. On Saturday, May 19, prepare for a show unlike anything else you have seen before. They will have you tapping your toes alongside them. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary beverage reception.
“I love performing in general, whether it be a stage or radio and television, but the best thing ever to me is street performance,” Abby says. “I like being that thing you didn’t expect as you come around the corner. I love interjecting a piece of history and culture into people’s lives when they are least expecting it.”
To purchase tickets visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com or call (205) 669-0044. For all our latest news and events visit us on Facebook and Instagram (@shelby_county_arts). Don’t forget May is membership month. To renew your membership or to become a supporting member of the SCAC, visit the website or call the office. Your support helps fund community programs and keeps the arts alive in Shelby County.
