<< Previous   of   Next >> Photo by Linda Mittleider  (click to enlarge) Singer Steve Poltz (left) entertained at a private party in Arlington to celebrate the college graduation of Steve Britton.

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Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com

Pop singer rocks Arlington man's party

By Kristi O'Harran, Herald Columnist

To throw a proper bash, aim for the top. When Steve Britton of Arlington graduated from Western Washington University, he hired Steve Poltz to entertain at a celebration.

"It's taken my husband about eight years to earn his degree in manufacturing and supply chain management," said his wife, Christie Britton. "We wanted to mark his graduation with a huge party."

Poltz is an alternative-pop singer and songwriter who recently toured with Jewel. In San Diego, Calif., in the early 1980s, he formed a band called the Rugburns. Jewel and Poltz wrote and sang her first hit, "You Were Meant For Me."

I found that song online. I love it. I played the Jewel video that costars a hunka hunka Steve Poltz.

Oh, so that's him. Very nice.

He had a night off between gigs and agreed to entertain at the end of March at Mirkwood & Shire Cafe in Arlington. He played for hours and made the children feel special, Christie Britton said.

"We have heard him play at clubs in San Diego, coffee shops and at Padres games," she said. "We moved to Washington almost four years ago, and have missed his music, although we make the trip to see him play whenever he's within a day's drive."

That's included many trips to Portland, Ore.

"He started touring here at the end of January," said Christie Britton, 30. "His tour actually kicked off in Seattle at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard. We were there, of course."

Oh a whim, they called him about a booking.

They couldn't believe they made it happen, she said.

Poltz played for children -- including Gavin Britton, 11, and Devyn Britton, 3 -- for about an hour the afternoon of the party.

"He hung out with our friends and family until our show started at 8 p.m. He played our party games, entered our guitar hero contest, and took the time to get to know our friends and family."

They enjoyed the star's company for more than eight hours. To see some of the party, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9VHmtQ-nqM.

Christie Britton teaches life skills at Pioneer Elementary School in Arlington. Steve Britton, 30, graduated from Western Washington University and works for U.S. Marines in Arlington as a manager in the product engineering department. He took time off from college along the way to get married and have kids.

"Most of the show was Steve and his guitar," Christie Britton said. "He played new songs, old songs, made-up songs, Rugburn songs and everything we requested."

There was one more treat: They spoke about all going out to breakfast.

"The next day he came down, we all ate, he asked where to find the loo, and must have paid the bill," Steve Britton said. "He came back, finished breakfast, we shared hugs and he left."

Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.