By Curt Peterson
Sunday afternoon, March 16, mild temperatures, and a loyal fanbase from every generation found Damon Hall filled with folks cheering local young woman Jenna Rice, singing pieces from her latest five-song album, “Salt and Strawberries.” Her earlier albums are “Bottle Collection” (2019) and “Chapters Turn and Bridges Burn” (2021).
Rice, 27, radiating poise and personality, stood front and center on the historic stage, strumming a beautiful acoustic guitar she decorated by hand. She wore a modestly short red dress that she made herself. She wrote all the songs on her three albums, including her latest, introduced on Sunday.
Backup was deftly delivered by bass guitarist Chris McCampbell, Jim Yeager on drums, and dour-faced electric guitarist Randy Roos, who provided some worthy riffs.
Her original opening musicians called in sick at the last minute, but local favorite Peter Meijer and Jenna’s husband Greg Goedewaagen stepped into the breach and did a brilliant job, including solos by each.
Admission was by donation only, a cash box at the door, and punters could purchase CDs, stickers or Tee Shirts, also designed by Rice.
Asked how well her albums have sold, she told the Mountain Times, “I really have not kept track.”
Jenna Rice is obviously a “Renaissance woman” — besides music, she and Geodewaagen have a small farm in Weathersfield where they raise cows, chickens, pigs and vegetables.
“We mostly grow food for ourselves, friends and family, and we don’t sell much,” she said.
She is an accomplished photographer, marketing guru, and website designer, all through her one-woman company, Jenna Rice Creative. She and her sister Nora are also publishing a farm-to-table cookbook in July.
Her love of making music evolved when she was a high school student, and she started playing publicly at the Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland, where there are two music nights every week, including an open mic event. Gradually her geographical reach grew, as she played various gigs in the general area. Older local musicians took her under wing and supported her development.
“Going forward from this album release I am really hoping to start playing more, because I want these songs to be heard,” she said.
