Throughout time, history has been recorded and reflected on via a variety of venues and, too often, the classroom is where it comes up short, sometimes because that medium itself lacks the dynamics for effective storytelling.

History, as recorded in books, may also come up short in developing the broad appeal associated with the balladeer dishing out dashing and poignant songs from the past. Indeed, the seductive power of music — composed into alluring melodies and lyrics — may entice us into paying better attention, providing just enough context to coerce us into delving into subject matter we might otherwise have passed over, or ignored entirely.

Consider back when folk balladeer Johnny Horton gave us “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Sink the Bismarck” – or the sad elegy of the ill-fated submarine, “The Ballad of the Thresher,” done by the legendary Kingston Trio. Our own “Star Spangled Banner” was adapted into a compelling melody from Francis Scott Key’s poem, paying tribute to the American colonies’ victory over the invading British during the momentous Battle of Fort McHenry.

Enter into this picture a pair of gifted, regional folk singing artists, Rick Spencer — former longtime Norwich resident, now from Manchester, and Dawn Indermuehle, still from Norwich — who proudly bring us “AN AMERICAN POP MUSIC TIME MACHINE.”

“Art is the purest form of expression,” Spencer declares with a quiet air of conviction.

He reflected on how his musical composition mines the depths of America’s historical gems and delivers it via a pleasant tenor voice, a variety of soothing instruments — and now with the accompaniment of a delightful songbird at his side, his business partner and co-performer, Indermuehle, who sings with the gaiety of a robin filling the morning air with splendor and grace.

“Music is the manner in which I take part in the world,” she proclaimed quietly. “It’s always been that way for me. There’s usually a song that touches where I am in the moment, whether it’s joy, sorrow, or a sense of taking a stand on something that matters to me.”

Though this pair of performers who beckon to us with storytelling music (www.catfeather.com) have known one another for some time — having met while employed at Mystic Seaport for years, and through their participation in the Annual Sea Music Festival — their respective backgrounds diverge.

Indermuehle’s first exposure to the magic of music began at the then Cutler Junior High School in Mystic, under the guidance and tutelage of Craig Moody. She played the flute and sang in the choir, finding a stronger aptitude for being a vocalist than for playing an instrument.

“I felt I was much better at singing than at playing the flute,” she said, smiling pleasantly. “And it was the practical application of working with Mr. Moody that prepared me for what would later happen in the world of music. I absolutely loved chorus. Mr. Moody was important enough to me that I mailed him a copy of the ‘Anchor, Plow, and Ballot’ CD that Rick and I recorded this past summer.”

Spencer beams when speaking on what Indermuehle has added to his musical endeavors.

“Dawn initially served as the staple of the administrative aspect of our company (which on occasion includes other prominent artists too) … but then surprised me with her natural, innate sense of absorbing the essence of how music works… and with no formal education in it,” he said glowingly. “She possesses a rare intuition born of listening intently to every brand of music and understanding it.”

He adds, “It was during a rehearsal at her home in Norwich when one of the artists who occasionally plays with us, Tim Marth, who we both admire, exclaimed that Dawn had a lovely voice and should be utilized more in that capacity.”

Rick Spencer’s own background in music — and in history — spans nearly an entire lifetime, starting with his years as a high school student. That’s when he fell in love with the works of 1960s folk artists like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, and Cat Stevens … popular stars in the industry who told meaningful tales through an engaging brand of music that included compelling commentary on the human condition.

“My own path led me into folk rock, and then I was introduced to traditional sea chanteys and maritime music. I was crazy about it, and it served as a gateway to the kind of folk music I knew I wanted to do,” Spencer reflected with a nod and a smile.

He would take voice lessons at UConn, and went on to enjoy employment at the nationally known Mystic Seaport Museum for a good 20 years as a researcher, a staff musician, a historical interpreter in exhibits, and as a role-playing performer,

“At Mystic Seaport we used traditional music as a teaching tool for history,” he explained, “and through time-honored songs, created by sailors and collected by scholars throughout the years, we were able to convey to our audiences all about life at sea.”

Retired now from the Seaport Museum and from his previous professional responsibilities as executive director and curator of the Dr. Ashbel Woodward Museum in Franklin, this longtime master of maritime music and the nightingale at his side, Indermuehle, tour historical societies, libraries, maritime museums, civic organizations, and other public venues throughout our region and other New England States, delighting audiences by conveying the drama, humor, fables, and truths of our colorful past.

Nicholas Checker is a novelist, playwright and movie-maker from New London.