Tune-up your vocal cords, you’ll need ‘em! Three of the NW’s finest troubadours, Tom Rawson, Ellen van der Hoeven, and Carolyn Cruso, are bringing a night of Triple Americana: songs, stories, harmonies and tunes inspired by the coffeehouse to Orcas Center on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Tom Rawson, folk singer and storyteller from Orcas Island, is the West Coast’s very own version of Pete Seeger. Armed with long neck banjo and other weapons of mass delight, Tom is a master of warmth and wit who loves to share his musical treasures with an ‘I know something you don’t know and you’re gonna love it too’ kind of smile.

“With his disarming manner and generous heart, he fed us lyrics like he was cooking us supper. Since when do you go to a concert, and the focus is on the audience, not the ego of the performer?” S. Jaen Black of Orcas News and Review said.

Ellen van der Hoeven, an expressive singer/songwriter from Vancouver BC, rounds out the duo with sweet dynamicism. Her songs are influenced by her rich background in British, Irish, Canadian and American folk, and include references to fairy tales, family relationships, and of course, the universality of love.

Solo artist Carolyn Cruso plays the beautiful and rare hammered dulcimer, a stringed instrument of the zither family originating in the Appalachians.

“She is an outstanding hammered dulcimer player who has gained local and national acclaim for her wonderful recordings and performances,” authors of The Quarter Note in Seattle wrote. As a talented multi-instrumentalist on the flute, guitar or vocals, Cruso’s adventurous dulcimer playing has been described by reviewers and fans alike as mesmerizing and lyrical. With various Celtic traditions, jazz elements and the natural world as her influences she weaves a web of magic with her music and stories.

Don’t miss this opportunity to catch these exemplary artists’ live. Tickets range from $15-$47, and are available online at www.orcascenter.org.