Join Orcas Island women songwriters Carolyn Cruso, Mandy Troxel, Melody Funk and Madi Jane West for a special night of original songs at the Random Howse on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. Admission is by donation.

The “Songwriter in the Round” format is a magical way to see and hear multiple songwriters share their musical stories. It’s a lot like sitting at a campfire and passing a guitar around, but in this case, the songwriters are on a stage and there will be a piano as well as multiple guitars and possibly a ukulele or two.

West, 17, strives for honesty in her lyrics. Her attention to melody is also paramount. Those elements, combined with a delicately beautiful voice, make for a wonderful sound.

Troxel jokingly describes her music as “Island Mama Americana.” She is no stranger to the Random Howse stage, most recently with her band The Bitter Ends. This performance is a chance for her to debut some new songs, as well as showcase favorites from her album “If Only Words Could Keep Me Warm.”

Funk comes from a musical family, which allowed her to begin her musical career at a very early age, performing with her parents and siblings at concerts and benefits. She studied voice and oboe, and attended Mt. Hood Community College to study jazz.

From concert hall to campfire, troubadour Cruso has traveled the nation and all over Europe sharing her contemporary acoustic songs, influenced by folk, rock, jazz and Americana.  She’s a multi-instrumentalist, playing hammered dulcimer, flute, guitar, and voice. She’ll be focusing on her songwriting talents at this Orcas show, accompanying her elegant vocals with a combination of intricate fingerpicking and rhythmic grooves on her often alternately tuned guitars.