The community is invited to the Grange on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Grange as touring Breedlove Guitars 2018 Festival singer-songwriter Erin Cole-Baker of New Zealand makes her debut appearance on Orcas.

Cole-Baker will be joined by our resident musician Mandy Troxel as opening artist. Cookies by Paula Capistrano, and other treats and non-alcoholic beverages provided. Tickets are available at the door with a suggested donation of $15. The cost for those under 18 years are $5.

Cole-Baker (www.erincolebaker.com) was born in Santa Barbara and raised in the beach-filled rural northland of New Zealand. Her songwriting and live delivery come from a place of great honesty and beauty, led by her gorgeous silvery voice and extraordinary sense of melody. This past spring, Cole-Baker celebrated the release of her fifth album “Till the Feeling’s Right,” a lush and gorgeous feat of beauty tracked mostly live to tape at Anzac rd studio. Also this year, she was funded by Outward Sound to attend the International Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City, receives regular play on Radio New Zealand, and is currently touring through California, Oregon and Washington.

“We’re excited that Erin is visiting us on the way to the Sister Folk Festival, where she received the prestigious Breedlove Artist designation for Sisters Folk Festival 2018,” say organizers.

Orcas Island music lovers are well acquainted with the music of Mandy Troxel (www.mandytroxel.com). She describes her music with a dash of self-deprecating humor, labeling her genre “Country Western Pathetica” and “Island Mama Americana.” Juxtaposing the beauty of her island home of 16 years with the connection and humor of small town living, her songs acknowledge the dark moments in life, while also underlying a certain optimism. Expect an eclectic array of musical storytelling and sing-alongs, from love lost and found to blackberries and flying pigs.