QUILCENE — A 19-year-old country singer will appear at a concert Saturday in a performance that an organizer hopes will usher in a viable summer venue for years to come.
Country singer and song-writer Hannah Weeks and Cloverdayle — a country music duo from Bend, Ore. — will play a double bill from 3 p.m. to
5:30 p.m. at the newly constructed Linger Longer Stage located behind the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101.
“I think [Weeks] can really go places,” said Bob Rosen, who supervised the construction of the new stage.
“She has the talent and the voice, and she looks great.”
Saturday’s performance is the second of two concerts produced this summer, with hopes to at least double that number next year.
Rosen — who worked in Hollywood as a producer of “Gilligan’s Island” and “Little Big Man,” among others — said he hopes to expand into rock and jazz and eventually present plays on the new stage.
Tickets for the show are $20, or $17.50 for local residents.
The venue can accommodate 500 to 600 people, Rosen said.
Weeks, who is based in Seattle, is working on her second full-length album of original songs.
She anticipates success — and has a plan in place to manage stardom’s negative side effects.
“I have an amazing family, and their support keeps me grounded and humble,” she said.
Seattle isn’t perceived as a big country-music town, but there are plenty of fans in both the metropolitan area and throughout the state, she said.
Although country isn’t especially complicated, she said she manages to come up with new combinations.
“There are only so many guitar chords, so you’d think that all of them would get used over time,” she said.
“But there is a lot of powerful and amazing new music.
“If we produce a melody that sounds like it’s been done before, we go back and fix it.”
Weeks’ music is straight country, but her listening habits are more diverse: She enjoys the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and rap.
She also performs covers by the Beatles and Free, among others.
“When people come to see me play, I will have a song for everyone,” she said.
Weeks is also a spokesperson against teen substance abuse.
“I had a friend in high school who became involved with drugs, and she is now recovering from heroin addiction, so this has always been close to my heart,” she said.
“With country music’s rowdy reputation, it can be a struggle to find a place for this message. I am hoping that I will be able to stand out.”
Also taking place Saturday is the Quilcene Shindig, an event showcasing local talent in a street fair setting.
Entertainment will begin at 1 p.m. on the outdoor stage located across from the Quilcene Post Office, 294843 U.S. Highway 101.
Several bands, soloists and local entertainers will perform throughout the day, ending with a 7 p.m. performance by Locust Street Taxi, whose guitarist, Franco Bertucci, is a Quilcene resident.
Hot dogs will be available; participants are asked to bring their own blankets and beverages.
The music is free, though a donation jar will be on site.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
