Spencer Douglas

Eau Claire teen releases debut EP with portion of proceeds benefiting children’s charity he co-founded 

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — An Eau Claire Memorial High School junior released his debut EP titled “Princess Charming” Friday, Nov. 22. Spencer Rhoten, who performs under the name Spencer Douglas, wrote, arranged, produced, played guitar and sang harmonies on all five original songs, and even played xylophone for one track. His first single, “Princess Charming,” was released Oct. 25 and received over 15,000 streams on Spotify alone, within the first month of its release.  

The EP features a mix of reflective acoustic pieces, in addition to upbeat indie and traditional rock tracks. The music highlights the young songwriter’s wide range as a vocalist and creative artist with an instinctive knack for melody and composition. 

Material for the album was written when Rhoten was age 14 and recorded at age 15. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Justin Green at Toy Car Studios in Eau Claire. Additional remastering was done by Kyle Culver at Sprinter Studios in Eau Claire. The EP features Matt Haapala on drums, Ethan Schmidt on bass, Jan Hora on trumpet, Leo Johnson on trombone and Rose Moua on cello. 

“Spencer is a gifted musician and vocalist, and also an all-around terrific and humble young man,” says Culver. “His range is absolutely amazing with a killer falsetto. He has an incredibly mature voice, often evoking comparisons to Morrissey or Young the Giant. But he definitely has a style and sound all his own.” 

At age 16, Rhoten is no stranger to audiences. He has performed for more than 250,000 people through two seasons as the youngest male principal singer and dancer for Kids From Wisconsin, the iconic musical troupe of performers ages 15–20 who serve as the state’s musical ambassadors, which included performing with the legendary rock band Foreigner at the Milwaukee State Fair in 2018. Since age eight, he has performed in a dozen regional and touring theatrical productions including the roles of “Gavroche” in “Les Miserables,” “Tiny Tim” in “Scrooge” and “Flounder” in “The Little Mermaid.” 

He also is co-founder of Katharine’s Wish, a charity program which began after his sister was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008. To date, Katharine’s Wish has donated more than $250,000 in toys, books and financial grants to hospitals and clinics in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.  A portion of proceeds from “Princess Charming” will benefit Katharine’s Wish to provide comfort to pediatric patients receiving medical care. 

“I’ve always felt at home on the stage,” says Rhoten. “I love to entertain. I always hope people feel something with a performance and leave happy.”