a harmonious flavor
Trio launches fi rst
CD, refl ects on joy
of making music
BY PATRICK WEBB
The three musicians have sung for as long
as they can remember, in church choirs and
elsewhere.
Where to purchase the album
‘Home Grown Pearls’ by the Oyster Crackers
Available for $15 at Bold Gallery, 711 Pacifi c Ave.
N., Long Beach, Washington; Adelaide’s Coff ee
House, 1401 Bay Ave., Ocean Park, Washington;
and online at columbiariverarts.com
View an online performance of the band at bit.
ly/3o7XV5E
One hiked around Germany singing with
her parents.
Another began her fourth graders’ classes
with daily song.
John Kovach
From left, Rita Smith, Bette Lu Krause and Christl Mack are the Oyster Crackers, pictured at the
Port of Nahcotta.
A third led ocean expeditions with camp-
fi re singalongs in exotic locales.
Those varied backgrounds blend into the
Oyster Crackers. The group consists of Bette
Lu Krause, Christl Mack and Rita Smith. For
the past four years, they have been entertain-
ing audiences on the Long Beach Peninsula
with songs of hope and inspiration which
they promote as “an eclectic mix of Ameri-
cana, Celtic and original music.” They draw
on guitars and a number of other instru-
ments, including violin, mandolin and per-
cussion. About one in four songs are per-
formed a cappella.
Last week, the group celebrated the
launch of their fi rst album.
‘Pleasure’
columbiamemorial.org/behavioral-health
6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Creating the album was done all on their
own, in part to avoid copyright hassles. The
album has been supported fi nancially by
the Peninsula Arts Center. “Home Grown
Pearls” features 11 songs penned by Krause
and three by Smith, including instrumentals.
Song subjects range from celebrating Wil-
lapa Bay to marking Krause’s father’s World
War II service in France and Italy.
Mack embraces all of them.
“I’m not a songwriter — my pleasure is
in fi nding and singing harmony,” she said.
“I love that my friends Bette Lu and Rita
create songs that are deep and meaningful,
or funny, or have lovely melodies. Sharing
those with our friends and audience is pretty
cool.”
In part, the recording project grew out of
the pandemic and the trio’s disappointment
that they could not share their music with
audiences. In November, they broadcast an
online concert for the Artists in our Midst
See Page 7