Albert Romano – Looking for answers Originally from a big Italian family in Providence, Rhode Island, Al Romano was the oldest – he had four sisters. His uncle, Tony Tomasso, lived next door. He was big band trumpeter who could have been a big star but did not want to leave home and tour. Uncle […]
Barry Cuda – A Music Archeologist Kent Smith (aka St. Petey Twig, aka Barry Cuda) was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. His father was a “hip” eye surgeon who could have easily been an R&B musician. Barry Cuda, as he is known to most Key West locals, listened to his dad’s 78’s and LP’s […]
Geoffrey Lowe “A town like no other” Geoffrey Lowe was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado. Both of his parents were very musical and they encouraged him to study piano when he was in the 3rd grade and then later the violin. In the 5th grade, Geoff learned bass but continued studying the violin, […]
Elle Haley – feels very fortunate doing what she loves Elle Haley was born in Westfield, New Jersey to parents Drew and Kim Haley. Her ‘large family’ includes brothers, Brennan and James, sister Emma and over 30 cousins. In 2012, when Elle was thirteen years old, she had a liver transplant due to an autoimmune […]
Zack Lovering – “Here, musicians can be their true selves” Zachary David Lovering was born and raised in Bainbridge, a small town in southwest Georgia. He sang in church choirs and musical plays in school. He studied the guitar for a few weeks but vocals were always his main interest. At age 19, he […]
My Key West I distinctly remember driving to the Keys from Miami for the first time in August 1968 with my friend, Rick who had just returned from his tour in Vietnam with an undiagnosed case of PTSD. We had grown up together in Northwestern Ohio. Rick was one of the easiest-going friends I ever […]
Ross Brown “There can be no Plan B” On Saturday January 4, I enjoyed the start of a new year with a unique concert at the Backstage Listening Room of the Key West Theater – Ross Brown showcased his original music. He performed thirteen of his original recordings with Jeff Dalton on bass, Randy Morrow […]
Bubba Lownotes “The Lazy Tenor” By Ralph De Palma Robert Barton, aka Bubba Lownotes, is a member of the Virginia “musicians’ mafia” located in Key West. He was born in Richmond, Virginia but the family moved to Greensboro and later to Charlotte, North Carolina. In grade school, he played the clarinet, then the tuba, and […]
Gregg Shanle, the G-Man Gregg Shanle considers himself a St. Louis, Missouri product, growing up with top 40 music on their AM radio. His father was a jazz music fan but Gregg was drawn to the eternal magic of classic compositions from the 17th century by the great composers. He was raised in the suburb […]
Channing Lynn is on a musical journey Channing Lynn Griggs and twin sister, Jillian were born in Pensacola, Florida. At a young age, music and the clarinet came to Channing’s rescue when viewing the Disney production of Sergei Prokofiev’s composition of “Peter and the Wolf”, where each character is represented by a different instrument. Ivan, […]
