Mike Emerson – if you throw a rock in Key West you’ll probably hit a guitar player Mike Emerson was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He began playing guitar, which his brother Glenn bought him, at age 12. He attended high school in Northern Kentucky and would perform with bands in local country bars […]
Rich “In Spirit” McKay – Adventures of 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 the […]
Alex Okinczyc “Island Alex” Alex Okinczyc grew up in Detroit, MI and, of course, was influenced by the Motown sound but at a young age, a friend turned him onto jazz … and he was hooked. In particular, he loved jazz horns like Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard. Oddly enough, while growing up near the […]
Michael McCloud – a plethora of useless information Michael McCloud grew up in Beckley West Virginia and decided he wanted to play music very early in childhood. His father was a man of music, but he was not a musician. His Grandmother was a piano player from Wales, she sang in Welsh. Early on his […]
Kim Gordon – angelic gently Kim Gordon was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She was a precocious little curly red haired child who started singing in musical theater at four years old, continuing as a young singer and dancer in many of the local children’s productions. Her mother, Bernyce Gordon, taught several generations of […]
Marjory Lee “Living on an Island” You have to travel South Carolina’s SR 21 through Beaufort, Lady’s Island, St. Helena Island, and Hunting Island before getting to the end of the road to reach the small barrier island called Fripp Island where Marjory Lee grew up. I mention this only to give a glimpse at […]
The Famous Psychedelic Tuba Everyone has seen Robert Barton’s (aka Bubba Lownotes) psychedelic tuba. It’s actually a sousaphone, commonly called tuba. It has appeared at almost every large Key West event, usually with Bubba’s buddy, Jeep Caillouet. Bubba Lownotes played tuba in the high school band and was always fooling around with the tuba; he […]
I love Key West history, especially the music history. There aren’t many Key West historical music figures larger than Fats Navarro. Navarro learned piano at age six and picked up his first trumpet at age thirteen. He graduated from Fredrick Douglas High School and soon left for Orlando, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and on to ‘big […]
Seth Kessel Born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn, Seth Kessel wasn’t interested in music or a musical career until age 16, when he was invited to a private drum lesson by Steven Wolf who was touring with Annie Lennox. It was a surprising life changing experience that started an obsession with drums and music. […]
What If …. By Ralph De Palma A while back, former Key West pianist Dave Burns and I were discussing Key West legendary performer Coffee Butler. Both Dave and I lived in Miami during the 60s and 70s when Miami Beach would see major artists, like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Guy Lombardo, and […]
