On a hazy Saturday morning in Oregon this past summer, Courtney Marie Andrews took the Woods Stage at Pickathon just outside Portland, Ore. It was an unusual set for the Seattle-based singer, whose easy-going performance was juxtaposed with a general sense of unease in the crowd, as the region was then in the midst of a record-setting heat wave and one of the worst wildfire seasons in recent memory.
Luckily, the fire smoke had yet to reach the festival grounds at Pendarvis Farm, and the trees overlooking the Woods Stage offered plenty of cooling shade from the sweltering heat. So by the time Andrews launched into her closing song, a beautiful ’70s country-folk revival tune called “Irene,” any feeling of anxiety in the crowd had long since passed. Andrews’ soothing voice probably didn’t hurt, either.
Indeed, there is nothing hurtful about Andrews’ voice. It is powerful yet soothing. Andrews channels some young Linda Ronstadt with her agility and potency, but her style is refreshing rather than nostalgically stagnant. In all the ways, Courtney Marie Andrews was a welcome addition to Pendarvis Farm and we look forward to watching her career continue to blossom.
The Woods Series is presented by opbmusic and NPR Music. Special thanks to opbmusic for helping hand-pick and showcase these beloved sets from the Woods Stage.
Many thanks also go to Klean Kanteen for their generous support of the Woods Series. Klean Kanteen’s goal is to “reduce single use, plain and simple.” With their help, we became the first multi-day music festival to eliminate plastic drinking containers, and they’ve brought water refill stations for the past several years to help us in our quest to provide free water.
We have much to be grateful for, and we’re thankful for all of it and more ♥
