Description

Fast Folk began as a songwriter's night at the Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village New York in 1977, and ended up as a non profit co-op that took over the booking of Greenwich Village's "Speakeasy" in 1981, and recorded over 600 writers and 2000 songs for people for whom recording was cost prohibitive.. These songs are now maintained in archive as Folkway Recordings at the Smithsonian.

Artists who recorded for Fast Folk include Grammy Award-winners Bob Dylan, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, and Tracy Chapman. Other artists of note include John Gorka, Michelle Shocked, Christine Lavin, and Suzy Bogguss, to name a few.

Peter Spencer is also one of those artists, and in fact, was around from the beginning, before it was called "Fast Folk", but was dubbed the "Greenwich Village Songwriter's Cooperative". 

Peter is a little known Northwest treasure, whose stories have yet to have been told, except in song on his 5 existing records.

Luckily for those in the Seattle are, some of those stories will make their way to the Triple Door stage on August 17, interspersed with the songs and tales of seven other of the nation's best writers, who will round out the bill on this community event he is calling the "Fast Folk Revival". Peter also will be MC'ing the night, with his almost Keillor-esqe baritone, and wit and charm to match.

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PETER SPENCER (www.peterspencer.com)

Peter Spencer was born in Erie, PA and grew up on late-night R&B radio and Bob Dylan records. He has toured North America and Europe as a solo blues artist; co-founded the Greenwich Village Songwriters Cooperative and Fast Folk magazine; written about music for Rolling Stone, Sing Out!, and the New Jersey Star-Ledger; and is author of the book "World Beat: A Listener's Guide to Contemporary World Music on CD" (A Capella Press, 1992). He currently lives on Bainbridge Island, where he divides his time between his guitar and voice students and tours of the East and West Coasts. He has five albums available on CD Baby, Itunes, and on his website.

CARRIE AKRE (www.myspace.com/carrieakre)

Carrie Akre is a musician best known for her work with Seattle underground bands Hammerbox and Goodness. Since Goodness disbanded in 2000, she has contributed vocals to the project band The Rockfords (which included Pearl Jam's Mike McCready on guitar), and released three solo albums. She releases albums on her own label, My Way Records.

ERIN CORDAY (www.erincorday.com)

Erin Corday returns with “Where the Body Is,” her third national release on Waterbug Records. With Americana drums-and-guitar roots and influences from Brazilian chill to European electronica, Corday wraps her voice around a trip-hop folk song, the tk-tk-tk of hummingbird wings, even the sound of skipping stones across the water.

HOLLY FIGUEROA O'REILLY (www.hollyoreilly.com)

After touring over 1000 dates across the country, Figueroa O'Reilly settled down to raise her children, and write and perform in her hometown of Seattle. While performing at the Folklife Festival in May, 2009, she lost her singing voice. After being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis, both conditions that both caused swelling in the joint in her throat, she began a long journey through the medical care system back to finding her voice. "Her voice has that same perfect blend of gravel and honey, tinged both by darkness and light, that forebears Nanci Griffith and Joni Mitchell employed to great effect and lasting adoration." Seattle Weekly.

ERIC MILLER (www.ericmillersongs.com)

Eric Miller is a singer songwriter heavily rooted in our American folk, blues, and jazz traditions. Audiences love his rich baritone voice and intricate finger-style guitar playing.  Of his latest CD release, Victory Music Magazine says:  "Eric is a musician to watch, and has tapped into the talent and artistry of his community in presenting us with his new album ‘There is Nothing For You Here.’”

MEGAN PETERS

Megan Peters' big personality and big voice are a good match for her simply crafted songs. Approaching songwriting like a puzzle, Megan has released three solo albums, and co-written with many other artists, including Edie Carey and Jenee Halstead. Megan is married to area songwriter/producer Evan Brubaker. 

KYM TUVIM (www.kymtuvim.com)

"Kym Tuvim's music is so intuitive and deeply felt, so eloquent in its lyrics and so lovely in its musicianship, you just want to strip to the skin and dive in," says veteran songwriter Susan Werner. Traveling through roots, folk-pop, jazz, and swampy blues, Tuvim offers up unguarded observations on the quiet in between places where love fails and where it is the saving grace."