Mancos Valley Distillery presents Mama Laya on Friday, Oct. 16.

Doors open at 4 p.m., and the music starts at 7 p.m. Cover charge is $3.

Mama Laya is an eclectic and energizing artist, whose original and cover works range from soft and sensual to rockin’ your soul until you sing along or simply stare spellbound. Engaging her audience is her primary focus as a musician – whether she’s singing her heart out with her expert vocals, strumming her guitar like it’s a four-piece band, picking out a quiet quaint folk ballad or blissfully harmonizing and playing home-grown percussion as others take the lead. She is often compared to Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin, Sarah McLaughlin, Kate Bush, Lana Del Rey, Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco.

MamaLaya (T. Leah Spencer) was born on a Naval/Air Force Base in North Carolina, to a Marine and his bride. She was blessed with very young influences in music from Southern Baptist Churches in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida. All through her adult life in California, Texas and Florida, Laya has been playing with and learning from other musicians and drum circles and collaborative musical efforts.

Finally, in her 30s, she made the life-changing decision to learn to play guitar. Musically, it has been a Blossoming Event beginning around 2010. Since 2013, she has been jamming and collaborating with the Florida Folk Musician scene, honing her stage presence as an Opener for Events. Last year she went on Adventure to meet and play with musicians in the state where she was born, many friends were made along the way and a few original songs were born also. With the help of a musical mentor, Laya has recorded and produced her Demo CD called Girl & Guitar. She is currently staying in Durango, Colorado.

For more information, check out her Facebook page at facebook.com/MamaLayaMusic.