Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/370174
30 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014 WHO SAYS the younger generation doesn't appreciate the past? Courtney Fortune is a singer-songwriter representing the jazz era with a blend of sultry torch songs and grace- ful ballads and a voice that belies her 26 years. Her rich, mellow sound breathes fresh life into time-honored classics and delivers a dose of soul into lighter pop numbers. "Everything I do is deeply rooted in jazz," Courtney says. "Even when I was young, that has been my core, my love." The Bellingham native received her jazz schooling early on, working with music teachers from age 13. In high school, Courtney won the high-school division of the Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Competition held at Jazz Alley. Consequently, she traveled to Japan to perform in the Kobe Jazz Festival. When she sought downtime during her busy junior high and high school years, she often went to the WAC with her parents, longtime members John and Lani Fortune. Courtney fondly recalls driving to Seattle from Bellingham to gather at Torchy's on football game days. Courtney Fortune, S I N G E R & S O N G W R I T E R Courtney hangs out in Hagerty's with her dad, John, and brother Miles. L U K E R U TA N Timothy, pictured at Madison Park Beach, is an avid outdoorsman who loves all the activities Seattle has to offer. have possibly known some of the details in my books," he says. "I talk to people and research archives in these places. I never know what will be that one thing that captures readers. I'm just trying to tell a story and provide good detail." His love of detailed storytelling was inspired, in part, by his mother. A well-read woman with a flair for crafting stories, she liked to regale Timothy and his six brothers and sisters with tales about history. His interest in capturing those details sends him to countries as far-flung as Tasmania and Ireland. But despite his busy schedule, the author still finds time for frequent workouts at the WAC. "I enjoy the vibrant energy in the WAC's fitness room," he says. "There's nothing stuffy or clubby about this place." The former competitive runner and Seafair triathlete says that he and his family are all aggressive athletes who love the outdoors. When they aren't playing outside, he says, "the WAC is a great place to stay active." The Club has also benefited from Timothy's talents. Two years ago, he did a reading at the WAC for the release of Shadow Catcher. "The audience for that reading was terrific," he says. "They asked great questions and dwelled on every word." Timothy also uses the reciprocal club benefit for his trips to New York City to meet with editors and publishers. Currently, his meetings with editors are focused on his forthcoming biography of Thomas Meagher, an Irish revolutionary who later led a U.S. Civil War brigade. An Irish-American himself, Timothy will research Irish history and learn more about his heritage for this book—which will focus on another triumph of spirit.