Pete Droge is a low-key, easy-going guy — Vashon through and through.

He’s a troubadour with a honeyed drawl and a knack for writing songs that feel like old friends, and when he’s joined by the harmonies of his partner in life and music, Elaine Summers, it feels like family.

While so many of their 1990s music contemporaries chose to chase the limelight, Pete and Elaine saw the allure of life on Vashon. As his song “Island” goes, “You never get a better night’s sleep / On an Island / You know still waters run deep / On an Island.”

And here he is — still crafting melodies that ache in all the right places, still making records that matter.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29, Pete and Elaine will return to the stage at Vashon Center for the Arts, offering fans a rare and intimate opportunity to hear both his classic favorites and a batch of fresh songs from his forthcoming album, “Fade Away Blue” — his first new studio release in years.

2025 is shaping up to be a busy year for Pete. His breakout 1994 album “Necktie Second,” which introduced the world to his breezy style of heartland rock, will get a deluxe vinyl re-release soon. (Join “Love Songs Etc.” — Pete’s Substack — to keep up with his latest news.)

The new record, “Fade Away Blue,” produced by Grammy-winner Paul Bryan — best known for his work with Aimee Mann — is set for release later this year on Puzzle Tree Records and marks a triumphant return to the spotlight for Pete. For fans lucky enough to snag a ticket, this intimate performance on the island Droge calls home will be a homecoming in more ways than one.

While the new album will undoubtedly be the night’s centerpiece, longtime fans can also expect a journey through Droge’s back catalog.

There’s no way he’ll take the stage without playing “If You Don’t Love Me…” — the wry, aching single that landed him on movie soundtracks and radio playlists back in the ‘90s. Tracks like “Northern Bound Train” and “So I Am Over You” still carry that same cinematic warmth, and you can bet they’ll make an appearance in the set list.

But the real magic will come from those moments in between — the spaces where Droge lets the songs breathe, shares stories, cracks jokes and reminds the audience why his music still resonates after all these years.

VCA is a fitting place for this show. With its intimate setting and deep connection to the local arts community, it provides the perfect backdrop for a night of storytelling and song. It’s a space where Pete and Elaine can be themselves — no pressure, no pretense, just a couple of great musicians and a whole lot of songs to share.

Visit vashoncenterforthearts.org for tickets.

Ian Bell is the marketing director of Vashon Center for the Arts.