Radio Connects Us All

Coming up on KPTZ, in collaboration with the Jefferson County Historical Society: In Their Own Words: Mill Workers Past and Present. On March 30, from 6-7pm tune in to join Jefferson County Historical Society Executive Director Shelly Leavens for this one-hour broadcast featuring curated oral histories from the Port Townsend Paper Mill.

The Jefferson County Historical Society and the Port Townsend Public Library are teaming up with the City of Port Townsend, the Port Townsend Paper Mill, KPTZ 91.9, the Swan School, and other partners to present a suite of programming all about the Mill – it’s history, economic and workforce impact, recycling practices, and of course its product – paper! More info here.

On Thursday March 25 from 7 to 8pm, KPTZ presents a night of live music with Clay Bartlett in collaboration with the Candlelight Concert Online series at Trinity United Methodist Church. Local Singer songwriter Clay Bartlett will perform original soulful material on acoustic guitar. Tune in for this special virtual concert on the radio!

Bartlett writes “heart worn” songs – some fact, some fiction, some shards of poetry that make a mosaic. Sometimes the sound of a saddle, sometimes the slam of the door, a lover’s moan, sometimes an empty hallway, with a melody and an acoustic guitar. There’s a mixture of country, post punk, blues, rock and roll, folk, and other random bits coming from the same well.

Bartlett considers himself a lucky guy who was in the right place at the right time. He started playing bass in bands in Seattle way back in the late 80s, with such bands as Dead Flowers. The Cheap Ones. England’s Newest Hitmakers. Gerald Collier, The Supersuckers (as their sometime touring bassist for their country set), and Port Townsend’s own Solvents. Bartlett has also opened for artists as diverse as Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, X, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many more.

With his ragged voice and sad songs, he’s opened for both Grammy winner Dave Alvin and nominee Iris Dement. Like any good songwriter, he doesn’t mind stealing bits from here and there to make his own patchwork quilt. The key, he says, is to not tell anyone.

Bartlett is also an entrepreneur who co-owns Seal Dog Coffee in Uptown Port Townsend with his fiancée Jeanette. They have managed to safely serve incredible cups of coffee drinks in their small cozy shop in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a doting and giving parent to his two “almost grown up” daughters as well a fabulous stepparent. Bartlett claims that he’s “kind of boring these days but happy that he can still write beautiful music.”