Jenny Don't and the Spurs bring Surf-Western sound to Spray

The sounds pouring off the front porch of the Spray General Store last Friday were not of the traditional Western Country variety.

Jenny Don't and the Spurs, a four-piece group that plays what they call, "Surf Western" or "Cow Punk" music, brought their unique sound to Spray. It was a real treat for the 80 people in attendance.

The group, which has been performing together since 2012, has steadily grown its audience over the years. The band typically plays to several hundred people and in larger and larger venues.

That the Spray General Store was able to nab them is a big deal.

Prior to coming to Spray, Jenny Don't and the Spurs had criss-crossed the country – going from Oregon to Pennsylvania and back again. And after their show in Spray, the band packed up and set out for their European tour, which kicks off at the Sjock Festival 2024 in Belgium on July 6.

It was Joni Kabana, owner of the Spray General Store, that worked to land the band and brought them to Spray.

So it has been this spring and summer at the tiny outpost in Wheeler County.

Without a doubt, the Spray General Store has been at the forefront of arts and culture in the region. This year, Kabana has brought an incredibly diverse and talented group of artists to the little town on the John Day River.

In addition to musicians and bands, Kabana has brought a blacksmith, a mosaic artist, photographers, painters, and others to lead classes at the old Spray General Store.

It's an incredible transformation for the old general store, that had been vacant for several years.

In 2022, the Spray General Store was awarded the Main Street Revitalization Grant with support from the Oregon Frontier Chamber. The highly competitive grant is awarded to those who can bring community change and engagement.

The Spray General Store has achieved this in spades.

Some artists are so eager to return, that they are looking to do residencies at the venue, or to come write songs and even record albums – as is the case with Skillethead who is headlining at the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival this weekend.

While Spray has long been a destination for recreationists, and the well-healed who have bought second or third homes in the area – the impact of the Spray General Store for Wheeler County cannot be understated.

Kabana has worked tirelessly to bring exceptional talent to town. With funding from the Oregon Community Foundation's Creative Heights grant, and support from the Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce – the Spray General Store's programming is geared for locals. Kabana says that her efforts are always done with the local people in mind and she often worries that too many out-of-area people will show up.

"I don't want Spray to be like Joseph" is a common phrase that Joni Kabana says.

At the Jenny Don't and the Spurs concert, the vast majority of people in attendance were from Wheeler and Grant counties.

And while the audience was much smaller than they were used to, Jenny Don't and the Spurs were clearly enjoying themselves.

Before leaving, Jenny thanked the crowd and said "we'll be back!"