Florida Music's
Past, Present & Future
Beginning with the first
drum beat by the Florida Seminole Indians, The "Sunshine
State" has developed a rich history of music! It is with
this spirit and depth of origin that we join in on this long
musical journey recognizing all which is Florida Music!
Now, more than ever, is the
time for Floridians to step up to the plate and take the initative
to openly salute those who have and those who are still creating
the music and the events which have shaped all of our lives
while living in Florida and touched the hearts of many all over
the world! All of the music makers who have come before us and
many who are still making music today deserve our honoring and
recognizing them in a way which shows our collective appreciation
for Florida Music and its effect on the world music industry
related to Florida's rich musical history.
Onward
What this organization's goals really are is to establish
a Florida Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, Honoring and
preserving the legacy of all music industry people from musicians
to writers and from performers to promoters who have roots in
Florida and have contributed in a way that made a difference
in our musical heritage. Our task which lies ahead is channeling
the positive energy of a few to honor and cast in stone enabling
future generations to remember the many who have contributed
through their art by sharing their diverse talents in music
with Florida and the world!
An
Idea
In the mid 60's Charlie Souza, a Florida native, was part
of the Tampa Bay area band The Tropics who achieved a national
level of success. Fast forward to 1999, the group reunited for
a 30 year reunion at the St. Petersburg Coliseum and
the immortality of the music they played was evident. Who would
remember all of the joy that was generated by the music and
all of the people who helped make it happen? The next day, Charlie
was looking out at the white sand of St. Pete Beach from a hotel
balcony and got an idea. He said to his band mate, Buddy, hey,
there should be a Florida Music Hall of Fame so that we can
keep the memory of all of us alive along with those who came
before us as well as those who come after, right up to the present!
Georgia had a Hall of Fame, but
Florida didn't! It didn't make sense as many of the artists
honored by the Georgia Music Hall of Fame actually were from
Florida or started their careers in the beautiful Sunshine State
of Florida!
As for Charlie's 1999 coversation
at St Pete Beach with Buddy, The Tropics founding member who
sadly is no longer with us, the quest is on to help create a
Florida Musicians Hall of Fame to honor him and all Florida
music makers like him who have helped make Florida music what
it is today and what it will be tomorrow
So it has
been written, so it shall be done!
From Classical
Music to Jazz to the works of music legends like Ray Charles
and Steven Foster to Southern Rock pioneers like the Allman
Brothers and Tom Petty and from Country Rock icons such as Jimmy
Buffett to Latin Rock's Miami Sound Machine with Gloria Estefan
and others like them, will finally be honored, recognized and
remembered for future generations.
Getting
it Done!
Now that the core
of the ever growing group of professionals heading up the Board
of Directors is assembled, Florida will very soon have a Hall
of Fame all its own. Some of the Florida business and music
professionals serving on the board at Florida Musicians Hall
of Fame and taking action now are among the following.......
Sally Rosen - sally@officialfanclub.net
Works in IT and music websites and for the Florida Musicians
Hall of Fame. http://www.officialfanclub.net
Douglas
Cifers
- Editor and publisher of Florida Monthly and other Florida
publicationsReal Florida, Florida Homes & Lifestyles,
Florida Fishing & Boating Guide, Florida Spring Training
Guide, and a dozen moreexplores, preserves and celebrates
Florida's heritage each month. http://floridamagazine.com
- http://FloridaBookStore.com
Charlie Souza - Musician, writer & vocalist of The Tropics,
bass player with Tom Petty, bass guitarist & vocalist for
The New Rascals, and an active Tampa Bay area record producer
and author of a rock and roll autobiography, Live Your Dream.
Tedd
Webb - There is no better recognized media personality in the
Tampa Bay area! Tedd has received numorous awards during his
career including the prestigeous "Communicator of the Year"
from Toastmasters International and Hispanic Heritage Man of
the Year in Media for 2001. Currently the Morning Show host
with Jack Haris and Sharon Taylor on Newsradio 970 WFLA and
formerly a DJ at WALT, WFSO, WLCY, WDAE ond more! http://TeddWebb.com
Keith
Wilkins - Professional contract songwriter & Tampa Bay music
columnist for 20 years, Keith has written for ROC Magazine,
Mayhem Magazine, Examiner.com, and The Bay Buzz. Keith has appeared
in several magazines, was the founder of KAM Music Publishing
and KAM-BABS Promotions, consultant for Bay Area Band Source,
and routinely speaks at music seminars. www.keithwilkins.net
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