"Sparky Rucker grew up black in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of a family of preachers and policemen who fell in love with the blues and then all of American folk and the stories of American history.   Rhonda Hicks Rucker grew up white in Louisville, Kentucky, trained to be a doctor, then fell in love with the blues harmonica -- and with Sparky.  Now they travel America's highways and byways with a wagon-load of American history and legend and song. And when they perform, Americans gather round, and listen again."  (WBUR & NPR's On Point - listen to this radio appearance by clicking here)

photo by Pat Zappardino

Sparky and Rhonda Rucker deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, cowboy music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.

Sparky  has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda (who practiced medicine for five years before turning to music full time) is an accomplished harmonica, piano, banjo, and bones player, and also adds vocal harmonies to their songs.

Over the years they have garnered considerable praise for their performances and recordings:

 "Sparky Rucker is unique!  He'll make you glad to be alive and struggling."  Pete Seeger

"What a monumental work on American folk music this is...The songs themselves comprise the best of whatever one could ever want to hear of traditional American music, performed in an authentic down-to-earth style. mmensely enjoyable." Menachem Vinegrad , Radio Upper Galilee 105.3 FM ,Israel  (referring to the Rucker's new CD "The Mountains Above and the Valley Below")