The Coats Perform at Orcas Center this Saturday and Sunday

The Coats, consummate entertainers, perform at Orcas Center this Saturday and Sunday nights.

A cappella group performs for Center’s Gala audience this Saturday, and again on Sunday.

“Singing for tourists, locals, fish vendors, and fellow buskers, our humble ambitions of earning a few clams to fight off the tuition bills quickly evolved into a full-time international performance career.”

So say The Coats, a polished a cappella group with 10 CDs on the market.

Now one of the most in-demand corporate and college acts in the U.S. today, The Coats continue to tour and produce music at a breakneck pace. This summer their touring schedule includes serving as Grand Marshals of the Seattle Seafair Greenwood neighborhood district parade next weekend (July 28), the Puyallup Fair, and Orcas Island – this weekend!

Bass singer Kerry Dahlen , Doug Wisness, and Jamie Dieveney and Keith Michael Anderson as second and first tenors, respectively, sing from a multitude of genres, including versions of  Route 66,  Stray Cat Strut, Let’s Go Crazy, I Can See Clearly Now, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and even DEVO’s Whip It!

The group was formed in 1987, while each of its four members were studying at the University of Washington. Their unique singing style attracted attention, and they were soon singing professionally throughout the west coast and elsewhere.

Among them, The Coats have held a variety of jobs, from singing waiter on a cruise ship, photo retail, house painter, concrete spreader, technical film reviewer, film critic, photojournalist, carpenter, arborist, handyman, ice cream technician, order selector at grocery warehouse, restaurant busboy/dishwasher, farmhand in North Dakota, to tennis pros.

Now in addition to their touring and recording schedule, they continue their tradition of outreach performances and workshops supporting music in schools throughout the northwest. Iconic music producer Quincy Jones has said, “You guys are fearless!”

The Coats come to the Orcas Center on Saturday night for the Gala  and again on Sunday night, where tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are $25, $17 (Orcas Center members), and $11 (students). Call Orcas Center at 376-2282, or go online to www.orcascenter.org, where you can hear and see audio and video clips of The Coats online!