Fledglings: Meet Two Violinists Busting Stereotypes
South Florida hip-hop and strings duo Black Violin are boldly blending music genres with a fresh, modern sound.
Fledglings: A New Monday with Cassadee Pope
Cassadee Pope turned the Big 3-0 this August. It can be a nerve-wracking milestone for someone without a strong inner compass, but not for this hazel-eyed, dog-loving gal. She’s already had an epic musical journey, fronting pop-punk band Hey Monday after attending Wellington High School and touring in Japan, Singapore and New Zealand in 2009 while […]
Fledglings: Rhythm and Roots
At 25, singer-songwriter Claire Vandiver came to music naturally: Her father, Chip Vandiver, is a seasoned blues and rock guitarist whom Southern music fans may recall from the band Southfield. By the time Nashville-born Claire arrived at Daytona State College to study music production, she had already been performing for several years, and she soon […]
Fledglings: Songbird Elizabeth Cook
Wildwood native Elizabeth Cook has lived a life full of the stuff of classic country songs—from her bootlegger daddy and songbird mama taking her onstage before she was in kindergarten to a stint at the Grand Ole Opry and a sit-down on The Late Show with David Letterman.With the wind at her back and a […]
Fledglings: Guitar Hero Rick Lollar
Behind every American Idol—style success story, consider that army of gigging musicians (on keys, drums, bass, lead guitar) making the person in the spotlight sound great. Success looks a little different for those folks, who play on as many dates and projects as time will allow. After 10 years in Atlanta—including a transformative stint with […]
Fledglings: Keepin’ It Classic with Casey Shea
Casey Shea grew up near Jacksonville in Ponte Vedra Beach before striking out to New York and Nashville to pursue his musical dreams as a singer-songwriter and guitarist. After three solo albums, Shea finds himself a member of Los Angeles–based Grand Canyon, creating a lush classic rock brew that echoes Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood […]
Fledglings: J.T. Brown is Fingerpickin’ Good
Born and raised near the Tampa area, singer-songwriter and guitarist J.T. Brown was destined to live life loving music. With a “true connoisseur of music” for a father, J.T. ended up with a guitar in hand and stories he was burning to tell. His debut album, Phantom Heart (2016), perked up the ears of everyone […]
Fledglings: Kate Skene’s Soulshine
Tallahassee-bred Katie Skene, 24, is a singer-songwriter and guitarist making her mark on the blues and jam band scene. She couples stellar guitar chops with a rich voice that ranges from a throaty blues sound to clear high notes that ring like bells. With one superb solo record under her belt, From the River, Katie […]
Fledglings: Sales
Is it hard to be taken seriously in the music world when you’re from Florida? The answer is yes, according to Lauren Morgan, who, with Jordan Shih, makes up the Orlando-based pop duo Sales. “You get categorized as a novelty. A writer called one of our tunes ‘sunburnt’. We are not Salt Life. Jordan can’t […]
