Sam Carlson – pouring love into his music Sam Carlson is from Pottstown Pennsylvania, located about 60 miles from Philadelphia. His mother played piano and taught him to sing in the church choir. Both parents loved music. They live near the home of the Philadelphia Folk Festival and would often travel to concerts. Sam started […]
Dottie Martin “…a legendary Key West classic.” Dottie was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. At age 17, she fell in love with a 4ft. 10in. jockey. They were married, traveled around the country, and soon later, divorced. Dottie started singing and performing at the age of 20. In 1949, while visiting friends in New […]
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 […]
Randy Stindt “still delivering it” Born and raised in Fresno, California, Randy had a younger brother, Paul and sister, Ashley but he was the only one in the family with an interest in music. An aunt gave him an acoustic guitar and he began teaching himself songs. Along with other friends, they started a […]
Collette Campbell – she bet on herself and is here to stay Collette Campbell and her two younger sisters Lauren and Katherine are from Rockville Center, Long Island, New York. Her mother Sue and father Joe, encouraged her to sing classical and opera and when she was in middle school, Collette began taking formal voice […]
George Victory “Key West is like Trinidad without the mountains” Born in 1950, George Victory grew up in Five Rivers, a small village near Arouca in Trinidad. He said there was only one river but you had to cross it five times as it snaked its way down Arouca. One of George’s teachers recognized his […]
George Chapman ”making memories for people” George Chapman was raised in Lakewood, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He played drums in the school band and, at age 11, started playing guitar. When he was 12 years old, George started playing drums in his guitar teacher’s wedding band but had to hitch a ride to gigs […]
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 […]
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 […]
CW Colt – Royal Minstrel of the Conch Republic. Coul William Colt (aka: CW Colt) has been in Key West so long that when asked where he’s from, he quickly answers “here.” Music had deep roots in his family. His grandfather had an orchestra in Indiana. He was young when he began singing in the school […]
