Infected by the Key West virus

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Tom Luna     “Infected by the Key West virus” A southern boy, Tom Luna was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1952. He jokingly says they were a totally homophobic bigoted family. At age seven, he saw the Bolshoi Ballet on the Ed Sullivan Show and told his parents he wanted to be a ballet dancer. He […]

Key West is his soulful wild sister

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James Slater – Key West is his soulful wild sister James Slater was born in Durham, North Carolina. His father was employed at Duke University. His mother, who is Bolivian/British, wanted to move to some place warm. They moved to Miami, FL for a year and then to the Panama Canal Zone where lived from […]

Its always about the next song

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Peter Diamond      “The most important thing is always the next song.” Peter Diamond Ilacqua was born in central New York near Syracuse. At age 6, he moved to Key West to live with his father. Peter graduated from Key West High School in 1961. He later went to school in Miami and became […]

Just a Reminder – why I love Key West

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Paulie Walterson    Music is family. Born in 1945, Paulie Walterson is a fifth-generation Key West Conch. His father worked for the Navy, and they lived in a house next to Harris Elementary School. His family originated in Spanish Wells, on the northern end of Eleuthera Island, in the Bahamas. His cousin, Armond Walterson, was married […]

A Key West Treasure

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Shrimpboat Sound Studio “A Key West treasure” At the end of a tour in Hawaii, Jimmy Buffett announced he was planning to open a club in Key West. In 1986, Buffett brought his favorite “roadie”, John Lynch (aka JL) Jamison to Key West to help open Margaritaville. He stayed at Buffett’s house and Buffett showed […]

2026 Soul of Key West Calendar

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  Available Now. ORDER NOW ! No Inflation HERE still $15.00 with $3.00 Shipping. Free Shipping with orders of three or more.     Enjoy Our Key West Musicians All Year Long. Most of the birthdays of Key West musicians are listed.  Celebrate the very beautiful vocalists from Tropicado Ana Hetch and Thalia Silva Joya […]

A sight and sound to behold

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Bill Blue & Caffeine Carl Wagoner –  A sight and sound to behold by Ralph De Palma Bill Blue and “Caffeine” Carl Wagoner were very good friends, playing music together for almost three decades. Drummer Mick Kilgos said that a very young Carl Wagoner could be seen peaking around the swinging doors of Sloppy Joe’s, […]

there’s room for all of us

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Kristen McNamara  “In Key West, there’s room for all of us.” Kristen McNamara was born in San Louis Obispo, California and raised in the natural beauty of the serene Napa Valley on scenic Howell Mountain. Her grandmother Shirley McNamara sold guitars and pianos and inspired her to sing. When she was very young, her family […]

steer gently towards the good

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Jonathan Skiffington aka Jon Skiff Jon says that his “genetic disposition for music came from both mom and dad.” Music runs deep in the family. A grandfather was said to be a traveling musician in the 19th century. He sang and played bass (just like Jon) and traveled between venues with his band on trains like groups did back […]

Keys, Counterculture, and an American Hippie

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Rich “In Spirit” McKay – Keys, Counterculture, and an American Hippie Rich McKay grew up in City Island in the Bronx in New York City. His family discouraged music study but Rich and his brother insisted. He graduated from Mount Saint Michael’s High School in 1962. McKay started playing guitar while attending Marist College in […]

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