Key West - The Sunday Ramble!

One of the things that always impressed me prior to moving to Key West nearly ten years ago, was that the local musicians were of the highest quality. I recall for years when I visited being in awe of how good everyone was!

Growing up outside of NYC, then later living in Boston, I was exposed to the absolute finest that could be found anywhere. I recall visiting Key West on St. Patrick's day 1980. The band playing that night at Sloppy Joe's was fabulous and that set the stage, so to speak, for my impression of music in Key West. Key West could hold it's own.

I moved to Key West in May of 2008. I had a good thing going in Miami before that. In 2000 I was picked up by McClure and Trowbridge Publishing in Nashville! That was a thrill.

I also had a solo/duo acoustic thing, plus I had a five to seven piece electric band from 2000 – 2008.

Moving to Key West was interesting. I didn't know one person here. Trust me, getting gigs isn't easy when you don't know anyone.

In 2010 BMI invited me to play the Key West Songwriter's Festival. This goes back to me being published in Nashville with McClure and Trowbridge, which in 2010 I had been with for ten years.

For those who are unfamiliar, The Key West Songwriters Festival is the largest music festival of it's kind in the entire world. Charlie Bauer and Danielle Strampello Holiday of Smokin' Tuna, handle the Key West end of it, while BMI Nashville takes care of everything else. Last year the festival had something like 230 songwriters in the event.

I am truly honored to have been in the event every year since! Thank you BMI, Thank you McClure and Trowbridge Publishing, and Thank you Smokin' Tuna.

When Dani arrived here four years ago this week, we started gigging together. At first, I'd do my thing, then she's get up and do her's. A friend of ours, David “Reddawg” Solinsky told us “Lets start a band!”. Making a long story short, we did. That was in August of 2014. We called ourselves “The Shanty Hounds” because the house we live in, we call “The Conch Rock Shanty”, plus, we have two whippets, hence, the hounds part of the name.

We've had a great run that is constantly evolving and hopefully, improving! We're having the time of our lives!

We were invited to play a special event, “The Sunday Ramble” for New Year's Eve. This is a great great honor, as they are quite particular as to whom they invite to play the event! In addition to us, there will also be featuring Terry Cassidy, Gary Hempsey, and Terry Wetmore, which indicates the caliber we're talking about!

We'll be doing some of our original songs backed up by The Ramble Band, which consists of Ericson Holt, Jeff Clark, Claire Finley, Robyn Whitehead, Randy Morrow, Michelle Dravis, and Joe Rayhill

These folks are just incredible! We did one rehearsal with them last Wednesday and I can't wait to play with them again!

The event will be held at The Key West Theater, 512 Eaton St. Key West. Doors open at 8 and the event itself runs 9pm – 12:30am.

Dani Hoy and I are so honored and humbled to be recognized and invited to play this incredible event!

Thank you to all who invited us and to those who encouraged for us to be in the event!

And the biggest thanks to all who have supported us, both friends and establishments!!!

So swing by, if you're in town!!! It will be a fabulous New Years!

Photographs by:

Cassandra-M Photography   http://cassandra-m.com/