BEST REALTOR TONYA REGAN THE MCKEEL TEAM, KELLER WILLIAMS (863) 602-7742 FB: Tonya Regan Realtor IG @tonyaregan_realtorkw tonyaregan.kw.com On the hunt for your dream home? Tonya Regan can help! Regan is a repeat winner in the Best Realtor category. Clients give Regan five stars for her responsiveness, negotiation skills, professionalism, communication, and market expertise. One client wrote of Regan, “As a real estate broker myself I know quality professionals when I see them. My wife and I chose Tonya as our Realtor due to her exceptional knowledge of the market and attention to detail. She was patient, communicative, and always available throughout the process. I highly endorse her for her and will always use her for my real estate transactions.” 2nd: Christina Moore The Moore Team, Keller Williams 3rd: Brian Stephens Keller Williams BEST REALTY COMPANY KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY SMART 218 E Pine St. Lakeland (863) 577-1234 FB @kwlakeland IG @kwrealtysmart polk.yourkwoffice.com Keller Williams Realty Smart gets high marks across the board from clients and agents alike. Serving all of Central Florida, KW Realty Smart can help you buy or sell your residential and commercial property. Clients who use this realty company remark on their professionalism, quality, responsiveness, and value. According to Keller Williams, “Our agents have local data and expert knowledge to guide you through the process of selling and buying.” 2nd: S&D Real Estate Services 3rd: SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate BEST MORTGAGE BROKER COMPASS MORTGAGE LLC 705 E Orange St, Lakeland (863) 802-1242 FB @compassmortgagellc IG @compassmortgagellcfl compassmortgagellc.com Where banks are often limited in the loan products they carry, Compass Mortgage extends to you their “Broker Advantage.” According to Compass Mortgage, “As a Mortgage Broker, we actually have access to thousands of different loan products. For this reason, we will typically be able to find a loan product that matches your particular situation. We will help you choose the best possible product with the lowest possible rate.” Some of their mortgage loan products include FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional to assist you with all your residential mortgage and refinancing needs. 2nd: The Mortgage Firm Lakeland 3rd: Home Solution Lenders BEST AC REPAIR PAYNE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING 1048 E Oleander St, Lakeland (863) 686-6163 FB @PayneAir IG @payne_air payneair.com Is it hot in here? Call Payne Air Conditioning & Heating! Payne’s reputation for honesty, integrity, and work ethic are backed by 86 years in the business. They offer AC repair, HVAC maintenance, air conditioner installation, heating service, and heat pump installation for residential and commercial properties. Take the pain out of ac repair with Payne Air Conditioning! One cool customer wrote, “Called Payne AC this morning and Greg Wilson was at my door shortly after I called. Greg quickly diagnosed the issue and made the repair. He was very professional and detailed the issue and what repairs were needed. I highly recommend using this company for any AC repairs.” 2nd: Wards Air Conditioning 3rd: The Lakeland Air Conditioning Company BEST ELECTRICIAN WILSON ELECTRIC COMPANY 230 N Ingraham Ave, Lakeland (863) 682-0158 FB @TheWilsonElectric wilsonelectriccompany.com Wilson will get you wired up! These residential and commercial electricians have served Lakeland, Winter Haven, and the surrounding areas since 1922. Wilson Electric Company can help you with interior and exterior jobs (large or small), new builds and extensions, and they offer 24/7 emergency service, so you aren’t left in the dark. “Our electricians have at least five years of working experience in residential projects and at least eight years working experience in industrial and commercial residential installation. We are the electrical contractors you can trust with your home or business.” 2nd: Speedway Electric 3rd: Aveco Electrical, Inc. BEST PLUMBING COMPANY RICHARD C. FOX PLUMBING 1103 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland (863) 816-9414 FB @richardfoxplumbing richardfoxplumbing.com Family-owned and operated for over 20 years, Richard C. Fox Plumbing provides commercial and residential plumbing services. Plumbing problem in the middle of the night? They offer 24/7 emergency services too! Sewer camera, sewer jetting, water heater repair, plumbing repipes – no matter the service you need, Richard C. Fox Plumbing has a 100% satisfaction guarantee backed by a one-year warranty on all services and manufacturer’s warranty on products. One customer wrote, “Richard Fox Plumbing is my go-to for any plumbing problems. Team is always professional and prices are very reasonable. Trust them for any job! You won’t be disappointed!” 2nd: Curry & Co. Plumbing 3rd: Gillum-Waddell Plumbing Co. BEST ROOFING COMPANY R.I.G. ROOFING 2001 Havendale Blvd NW, Winter Haven (863) 294-4477 FB @RIGroofing IG @rigroofing rigroofing.com “Your Shingle Best Roofer” wins again! R.I.G. Roofing is a locally owned roofing contractor providing service to residential and commercial customers, including free storm damage assessments, emergency roof repair, insurance roof claim assistance, and financial options, across Polk County and Central Florida. “We are a faith-driven company with over 30 years experience. We’ll always tell you the truth. Each roof is in a different stage of its life, and we will help you to devise a plan that, if possible, extends the life of your roof....instead of just trying to sell you a new one.” 2nd: High Tower Roofing 3rd: Musick Roofing BEST PATIO SCREENING COMPANY MID-FLORIDA ALUMINUM & RESCREENS (863) 289-2368 FB: Mid-Florida Aluminum & Rescreens Best Of LKLD voters continually trust Mid-Florida Aluminum & Rescreens to keep them made in the shade! This licensed and insured full-service aluminum company provides sliding garage screens, windows/doors, seamless gutters, rescreen, soffit/fascia, carport, vinyl siding, hand-railing, and screen enclosures. Based out of Polk County and serving all of Central Florida, Mid-Florida Aluminum is a certified dealer for LifeStyle Screens, Mystic Motorized Screens, Genius Retractable, & Rollaround Screens. This allows them to offer more than the standard type of screen enclosure for any home or business. Call or message them for more information or a free quote today! 2nd: Jack Hall Jr’s Construction and Aluminum 3rd: Polk Patio and Screening Services BEST CONTRACTOR/ CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SPRINGER CONSTRUCTION 2622 Longhorn Dr, Lakeland (863) 225-5606 springerconstructionco.com Respect, honesty, humility, and trust – these are the core values Springer Construction is built on. Founded in 1987, this third-generation, familyowned General Contracting firm builds and maintains Industrial, Retail, and Commercial Construction. Their portfolio includes exceptional work for Bernie Little, Streamsong, Yard on Mass, Front Page Brewing, several MIDFLORIDA Credit Union locations, and more. Springer Construction says, “Our blueprint for success is delivering quality construction on time and on budget.” 2nd: Sharrett Construction 3rd: GCS Remodel BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY BEACON TERRACE 2425 Harden Blvd, Lakeland (855) 681-1987 mymhcommunity.com/Communities/Florida/ BeaconTerrace Retire and relax in Lakeland’s premier (and pet-friendly) 55+ retirement mobile home community. Beacon Terrace offers community amenities including a community swimming pool, whirlpool-spa-hot tub, billiards, library, game room, clubhouse, and fishing opportunities. Its on-site management and laundry facilities ensure residents a safe and convenient environment. “Located in the tranquil city of Lakeland, FL, Beacon Terrace offers its residents the ease of living in the Tampa/Clearwater/St. Petersburg metro area without all of the noise and traffic.” 2nd: The Estates at Carpenters 3rd: Lake Ashton BEST HOTEL THE TERRACE HOTEL, TAPESTRY COLLECTION BY HILTON 329 E Main St, Lakeland (863) 688-0800 FB @TerraceHotel IG @terracehotellakeland terracehotel.com A historic boutique hotel overlooking Lake Mirror, the Terrace Hotel offers full-service luxury a short walk from Munn Park. Guests don’t have to roam far to grab a bite to eat with the on-site restaurant, The Terrace Grille, which boasts fresh, made-fromscratch dishes served in an upscale dining space with floor-to-ceiling arched windows and black and white patterned floors. The Terrace Hotel offers 88 guest rooms and three meeting rooms, including the grand Cypress Ballroom, an ideal space for wedding and corporate events. 2nd: Hampton Inn Lakeland 3rd: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Lakeland BEST APARTMENT COMMUNITY LAKELAND GRAND 4315 Talon Loop, Lakeland (863) 400-3465 FB @lakelandgrand IG @lakelandgrand lakelandgrand.com “Live in a fresh new community with cutting-edge design, incredible amenities, and engaging social spaces at our brand new Lakeland apartment homes.” The name says it all – Lakeland Grand Apartments delivers on its promise of luxury with “contemporary yet sophisticated interior designs.” Residents can choose from one, two, and threebedroom floor plans to suit their needs. Lakeland Grand amenities include a pool, clubhouse, fitness center, sauna, on-site maintenance and management, playground, business center, garage, free weights, and high internet speed. 2nd: Carlton Arms 3rd: Mirrorton Apartments BEST CLEANING COMPANY ONE CLEAN MOM CLEANING & ORGANIZATION (863) 670-9615 FB @onecleanmom onecleanmom.com No need to do the dirty work when you have One Clean Mom! This Lakeland-based cleaning and organization service says, “Cleaning messes is our passion.” Owner Ashley Miller and her staff provide initial/ deep clean, standard clean, and move-in/move-out cleaning services. Additionally, One Clean Mom offers organizing services, with or without side-by-side client help. “One Clean Mom is the best. I have been using them for several years and wouldn’t think of using anyone else. Always punctual and job is well done,” writes one satisfied client. 2nd: The Cleaning Authority 3rd: Busy Bees Cleaning Service BEST POOL SERVICE COMPANY PINCH A PENNY Multiple Locations FB @PinchAPennyPool IG @pinchapennypool pinchapenny.com There’s no reason to dip into your savings when you just want to take a dip in your pool. The cannonball king of the summer goes to Pinch A Penny for the pool service value they provide to Polk County customers. ‘The perfect people for the perfect pool’ offer pool cleaning and maintenance, equipment installation and repair, renovations, acid washing and stain treatment, and leak detection and repair. “With more than 260 stores and over 45 years in the business, Pinch A Penny has the knowledge and expertise to handle any pool care problem. Plus, we have more Certified Pool Operators than any other pool supply store, so why trust your swimming pool or backyard to anyone else?” 2nd: Michael’s Pool Service 3rd: Mike’s Quality Pools BEST STORAGE FACILITY EXTRA SPACE STORAGE Multiple Locations (877) 540-3698 FB @extraspace IG @extraspace extraspace.com We could all use some Extra Space, right? Founded in 1977, Extra Space Storage is now the second largest operator of self-storage facilities in the United States. Their facilities are equipped with video surveillance, personalized security codes to access gates and entry points, and are well-lit throughout the property so you can ensure your belongings stay safe. Extra Space Storage offers climate-controlled storage, vehicle storage, and more. Their online Storage Unit Size Guide can help you figure out what size storage unit best fits your needs! 2nd: StoreRight Self Storage 3rd: Century Storage

BEST FLORIST BLOOM SHAKALAKA 640 E Main St, Lakeland (Inside The Joinery) (863) 417-3007 FB: @bloom.shakalaka1 IG @bloom.shakalaka bloomshakalaka.com “Funky Fresh Blooms” brought to you by Bloom Shakalaka! Ashton Event’s Laura Helm started this cute little flower shop and gift boutique. They offer flower wraps and arrangements, wearables, full-service event florals, subscriptions, and a pickyour-stems flower bar. “At Bloom Shakalaka, we want to be known as the funky, fresh flower shop whose mission is to spread joy. We believe that every single bloom is a miracle of both strength and hope - and we love getting to offer that to others.” 2nd: Flower Cart Florist 3rd: Flowers By Edith BEST WEDDING VENUE HAUS 820 820 N Massachusetts Ave, Lakeland (888) 428-7820 FB: Haus 820 IG @haus820 haus820.com Renovated historic warehouse turned oh-socool event venue, Haus 820, is an industrial chic wedding haven. The 1924 building was first an A&P grocery store, then a furniture warehouse before it was brought back to its roots and restored, including original wall-to-wall white brick, 17-foot exposed rafters, and charcoalstained and sealed cement floors. In addition to the main open area (a blank canvas to make the event all your own), Haus 820 features a permanent 16-foot bar, catering finishing kitchen, restrooms, and a bridal suite in the building next door with private bathrooms. The private courtyard was created from the original loading docks and is perfect for a sunny afternoon ceremony or vows under the stars. 2nd: Hollis Garden 3rd: The Terrace Hotel Lakeland, Tapestry Collection by Hilton BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER PARIS SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY (863) 307-1868 FB: Paris Scott Photography IG @parisscottphotography parisscottphotography.com There’s a bit of magic in Paris Scott’s pictures. Her style is romantic and cool, bringing out the love and personalities of the couples she photographs. “My approach to taking photos is an exchange in energy. Creating a calm space where you can genuinely feel like yourself is what it’s all about,” says Scott. Paris Scott specializes in Elopements, Lifestyle, and Adventure photoshoots that her clients adore. One bride wrote, “Paris is amazing! Her photos are so dreamy, and it just made me feel like a princess in a fairytale. She’s super sweet and made the entire experience wonderful. I can’t wait to work with Paris in the future!” 2nd: Emily Plank Photography 3rd: Garry & Stacy Photography Co. BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT DREAMS COME TRUE ENTERTAINMENT 214 Traders Alley, Lakeland (863) 944-1264 FB @DreamsComeTrueEntertainment IG @dctemagicalmemories dreamscometrueentertainment.com Your next party needs a princess! Dreams Come True Entertainment provides character entertainment for all ages. They can make an appearance at your private party, host your private event at their Enchanted Fairytale Hollow in Lakeland, or you can join them for weekly and monthly events! Award-winning custommade costumes and experienced actors bring an unmatched level of authenticity (and magic) to each fairytale and superhero character. Owner Amy Sharpe says, “Dreams Come True Entertainment is all about creating magic for all ages. It has always been my dream to make children happy and make a difference in their lives, and with my new company, now I can do that while doing something I love and bring magic and hope into hearts young and old. I strive my hardest to be the most memorable, authentic and fun entertainer you ever meet!” 2nd: Graingertainment 3rd: Triviosity Live Events BEST DRY CLEANER GARMENT CARE PROS AT SOUTHSIDE CLEANERS 901 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (Second location in Plant City) (863) 688-4747 FB @SouthsideCleaners garmentcarepros.com Perhaps best known for their snappy signs, Garment Care Pros at Southside Cleaners continues to be a Best Of LKLD voter favorite choice for dry cleaning. Since 1954, Southside Cleaners has provided Lakeland with the highest quality of care for its garments. They are one of the only eight companies worldwide to have multiple employees pass the rigorous training to become a Certified Garment Care Professional (CGCP). This team of literal garment care pros offers traditional dry cleaning and laundry services, weekly home/ office service plans, and historic garment and wedding gown restoration. One long-time customer wrote, “Southside has been a staple in the Lakeland community for decades. Excellent work and service with weekly delivery and pick up. Thank you for always going above and beyond!” 2nd: Regal $2.95 Cleaners 3rd: Touch of Class Dry Cleaners BEST AUTO REPAIR WEBB’S BP SERVICES CENTER 2820 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (863) 686-5498 webbs-servicecenter.business.site Is your car making that weird noise again? Check engine light ominously glowing at you from the dash? Webb’s is where you should go! This familyowned and operated auto repair shop has served Lakeland since 1957, with all work guaranteed. Their Master ASE certified mechanics offer AC service, tires, batteries, check engine light, power locks and windows, tire repairs, CV axles, oil changes, transmission flush, brake service, tuneups, and more. One review reads in part, “Since my first dealings with them over a year ago, they have been exceptional, considerate, and gone out of their way, even when busy, to make sure my vehicle was running properly, and I knew it was in good hands and safe on the road.” 2nd: Levy’s Imperial Tire 3rd: Joyce Automotive BEST AUTO DEALER REGAL HONDA 2615 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland 863-400-5298 FB @RegalHonda www.regalhonda.com Has searching for a new car been more difficult than it should be? Regal to the rescue! Regal Honda is a family-owned and operated Honda dealership and home of the Lifetime Warranty. Regal Honda makes it easy with a tailored car buying experience with professional associates available to assist you in choosing the right new or pre-owned model from their expansive selection. From credit assistance with your car loan to service performed by factory-trained technicians, Regal keeps your car experience stress-free. One Regal customer wrote in part, “My wife and I are new to the area and were welcomed by a very friendly staff. Our salesperson Douglas Maynard guided us through the process of trading in our old vehicle and coming to terms on a new vehicle way easier and in less time than we thought was possible. His low pressure approach along with his experience and knowledge was a breath of fresh air!” 2nd: Fields Motorcars 3rd: Cannon Automotive Group BEST BOAT DEALER OUTCAST WATERSPORTS 4020 Bartow Rd, Lakeland (863) 816-6081 FB @outcastboats IG @outcastws outcastwatersports.com “From boat sales to service, Outcast has set the standard for consistent quality and familyoriented customer service. Partnering only with brands in the top of their fields, we strive to give our customers the best products and service available.” This bay area boat dealer has been serving Tampa Bay’s boat sales and service needs since 1996. They expanded to Polk County in 2016 and brought with them decades of experience and technical knowledge with mechanics on staff required to attend Yamaha school yearly for their continued education. Expect top brands, quality customer service, and a family feel at Outcast. 2nd: Old Salt Marine 3rd: Action Water Sports of Central Florida BEST OIL CHANGE TAKE 5 OIL CHANGE (Multiple locations) FB @Take5OilChange IG @take5oilchange take5oilchange.com Take 5 Oil Change, home of “the quickest oil change in Lakeland,” offers a drive-thru 10-minute oil change service with no appointment necessary. Just pick your oil from the technicians’ options, sit back, and relax while expert technicians change your oil and filter, replenish under-hood fluids, and check your air filter and wiper blades. One customer’s five-star review from the Take 5 Oil Change at 5250 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, reads in part, “This is my favorite place to get my oil changed. They are so friendly and communicative. They are always fast and efficient.” 2nd: Levy’s Imperial Tire & Auto Service 3rd: TIE – Jiffy Lube Pep Boys BEST CPA DIANE HERRINGTON, CPA, P.A. 202 Lake Miriam Dr # E8, Lakeland (863) 644-7125 FB: Diane R. Herrington, CPA, P. A. dianeherringtoncpa.com Polk County native Diane R. Herrington has worked in the accounting field since 1970 and became a licensed CPA in Florida in 1980. She founded her accounting firm in 1983, providing personalized tax preparation, tax planning, and business consulting services for individuals, businesses, estates, and trusts. According to Herrington, “Every client is important to us, and we want to help take the burden of bookkeeping, tax, and financial problems off your shoulders.” Backed by decades of experience and detailed customer service, Diane Herrington’s customers often rave about her professionalism, quality, responsiveness, and the value of her services. 2nd: David R. Ramos, CPA 3rd: Virginia “Ginny” Harris, CPA, MBA Harris & Hahn, P.A. BEST FINANCIAL ADVISOR CONLEY THORNHILL THORNHILL WEALTH MANAGEMENT - UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. 295 1st St S, Winter Haven (863) 298-3600 advisors.ubs.com/thornhillgroup Senior Vice President of Wealth Management and Financial Advisor Conley Thornhill has provided clients comprehensive and customized wealth management solutions for over 40 years. Thornhill has received the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor Florida distinction in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and is one of the few advisors to earn and maintain both the Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Investment Management Analyst® designations. “Conley has taken on every type of market environment, giving him the clarity to navigate whatever financial questions you may have. He is passionate about helping clients organize and simplify their financial lives, no matter how complex.” 2nd: Chuck Foss | CORE Wealth Advisors 3rd: Matt Bishop | Edward Jones BEST ATTORNEY LAURIANE CICCARELLI | MILLER TROIANO, P.A. 2323 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (863) 688-7038 FB: Miller Troiano, P.A. millerlawfl.com Since graduating from Stetson University College of Law in 1996, attorney Lauriane Ciccarelli has been involved in thousands of eminent domain cases. Now with Miller Troiano, P.A., she also practices in the areas of real estate, estate planning, and general civil litigation. Ciccarelli is a former member of Business Network International, Business in Motion Chapter, where she served as President in 2014. She currently sits on the Board of Campfire USA, is a member of the American Business Women’s Association, Lakeland Downtown Chapter, and served as Vice President in 2014. 2nd: Daniel F. Pilka Pilka, Adams, & Reed, P.A. 3rd: Timothy F. Campbell Clark, Campbell, Lancaster, Workman & Airth, P.A. BEST BANK MIDFLORIDA CREDIT UNION Multiple Locations FB @MIDFLORIDA IG @midflorida_creditunion midflorida.com MIDFLORIDA, a repeat Best Of Haven winner for Best Bank, is not-for-profit and member-owned, offering banking products and services including personal and business banking, loans, mortgages, and investing. It began in 1954 as Polk County Teachers Credit Union and now has more than 60 branches as Central Florida’s community credit union. MIDFLORIDA emphasizes personal attention and competitive rates, “Because your money isn’t just a string of numbers on an account statement. It’s personal—and we think the way you bank should reflect that.” 2nd: Citizens Bank & Trust 3rd: Truist BEST INSURANCE AGENT JOY MORSE | STATE FARM 5727 US Hwy 98 S, Lakeland (863) 647-2915 FB @JoyMorseInsurance joymorse.com Serving Lakeland and the surrounding areas, Joy Morse and her team have over 80 years of combined State Farm experience. Their agency has qualified for multiple State Farm Awards over the years, including Ambassador Travel, State Farm Crystal Honor, and State Farm Chairman’s Circle. Morse can help you with Auto, Homeowners, Life, and Health Insurance and assist small business owners with their Commercial Insurance. “My team of licensed insurance professionals and I are here to help make insurance & financial services easy to understand. We are here to protect you from everyday risks and make sure that your insurance program doesn’t have gaps or caps that you are unaware of.” 2nd: Karen Bryan | State Farm 3rd: Mark Spann | Mulling Insurance BEST SPA DAYDREAMS DAY & MED SPA 1463 Town Center Dr. E, Lakeland (863) 686-5859 FB @DayDreamsDaySpaLakeland IG @daydreams.dayspa daydreamsdayspa.com Treat yourself to a full body massage or facial (or both) at DayDreams Day & Med Spa. Each massage begins with an opening scent and an optional head and scalp massage. DayDreams offers massages to relax and rejuvenate you, from Swedish and Bamboo Fusion to Deep Therapy. They even have spa packages for the complete royal treatment like the Renewal Suite, which includes an 80-minute Swedish massage, targeted corrective facial, classic manicure, and signature pedicure. Book an appointment at their med spa with APRN Alicia “Tonja” Arkell, who specializes in BOTOX and fillers. 2nd: TIE – TrueMedSpa Bella Viságe Medical & Aesthetic Rejuvenation 3rd: Pura Vie Holistic Studio BEST HAIR SALON BELLE LA VIE SALON & SPA 4525 Florida Ave S Suite #16, Lakeland (863) 617-5408 FB @bellelaviesalonlakeland IG @bellelaviesalonandspalakeland bellelaviesalonandspa.com Time to touch up that Balayage, babe – and other salons just don’t cut it. Clients rave about the atmosphere, stylists, and overall doting experience at Belle La Vie Salon & Spa. Owner Charline Fulbright and her team have more than 27 combined years of experience in the beauty, health, and wellness industries. This premier salon offers cuts and styles, formal styles for special occasions, premier color design, hair extensions, textures, and straighteners. “With services ranging from the newest hairstyles to customized facials. There is surely something to tickle everyone’s fancy. Experience the difference at Belle La Vie Salon and Spa, where nurturing inner and outer beauty is what matters most!” 2nd: Studio 323 3rd: Glam Color Bar BEST BARBER SKULLY’S BARBER SALON 434 W Pipkin Rd, Lakeland (863) 224-3507 FB: Skullys Barber Salon IG @skullysbarbersalon skullysbarbersalon.com From “a tank of gas and a dream” to an awardwinning mobile and brick-and-mortar salon. Congratulations on another Best Barber win, Skully! This master barber and Best Of LKLD voter favorite founded his hair biz doing house calls in 2015 and opened his mobile barbershop out of a 32-foot RV in 2017. Skully’s Barber Salon now has a physical location on W. Pipkin Road in Lakeland. Skully can hook you with a haircut, skin fade, beard trim, or shave (he does women’s hair too)! One client testimonial reads, “Always a pleasure. Good conversation, good prices, and very very comfortable. Not to mention, great cuts every time. Definitely the guy to go to for all your barbershop needs!” 2nd: Kirkland’s Barber Shop 3rd: TIE – Lakeland Barber Company Gents Classic Cuts BEST NAIL SALON PAINT NAIL BAR 1486 Town Center Drive, Lakeland (863) 777-2947 FB @paintnailbarlakeland IG @paintlakeland paintnailbar.com/lakeland-fl PAINT Nail Bar – not your average nail experience. “Whether it is cleanliness, color selection, client service, nail art, environment, attention to detail, or the wonderful energy at PAINT…you name it, we’ve thought of it, developed it, and fine-tuned it based on staff and client feedback.” PAINT Nail Bar features only vegan and formaldehyde-free lacquers and exclusively uses LED lamps for curing their water-based gel polishes. They also opt for ceramic pedicure basins over whirlpool jets (which often harbor bacteria). With nail artists trained in technique, sanitation, and modern trends – what’s not to love? 2nd: Lee Spa Nails 3rd: Noire the Nail Bar BEST TATTOO STUDIO BLACK SWAN TATTOO 2947 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (863) 937-9777 FB @blackswantattoo IG @blackswantattoo blackswantattoo.com Established in 2007, Black Swan Tattoo provides a relaxed atmosphere, clean environment, and tattoos worth talking about. Their six artists have over 70 years of combined experience and are versed in all styles of tattooing. One Black Swan client wrote in part, “Hands down the best tattooing experience that you can have in Lakeland. I’ve had the pleasure of being tattooed by both Cory Craft and Phil Snyder several times, and there’s no one else that I trust more to bring alive the tattoos I [envision].” 2nd: Gaslight Tattoo Company 3rd: Holy Grail Tattoo BEST PIERCING BLACK SWAN TATTOO 2947 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (863) 937-9777 FB @blackswantattoo IG @blackswantattoo blackswantattoo.com Best Of LKLD voters applaud Black Swan Tattoo for a prime piercing experience. Black Swan pierced patrons note the shop’s commitment to detail and cleanliness with the tools, chair, and room sanitized between clients. Although it appears they no longer offer piercing as a service, over the last year, they did it best! 2nd: Holy Grail Tattoo 3rd: Atomic Tattoos Lakeland

BEST FLORIST LASATER FLOWERS 254 W Central Ave Ste A, Winter Haven (863) 294-3213 FB @lasaterflowers IG @lasaterflowers lasaterflowers.net “Want to make a great impression? We can arrange that!” This flower power boutique floral design studio, established in 1958, offers arrangements for every occasion with a freshness guarantee. Lasater Flowers also extends gift sets, seasonal blooms, and subscriptions with personalized plans to fit your style, budget, and delivery frequency. A Lasater Flowers customer raved, “I subscribed to the bi-weekly delivery service, and each bouquet I get is nicer than the last! The flowers are gorgeous, and they last quite a while.” 2nd: Golden Petal Designs 3rd: Angelic Flowers BEST WEDDING VENUE VENUE 650 650 6th St SW, Winter Haven (863) 287-3814 FB @venue650 IG @venue650 venue650.com Industrial and elegant, Venue 650 is Winter Haven’s premier wedding venue and a Best Of Haven voter favorite. Its lofty ceilings, sprawling windows, and adjoining open-sky courtyard visually lend even more space to the building’s 10,500 square feet. The versatile event venue, complete with exposed brick walls and concrete floor, can see any event vision realized and comfortably accommodate up to 400 guests. Additional Venue 650 features include high-speed internet, ample well-lit parking, a catering kitchen, and dressing suites. One Venue 650 testimonial reads in part, “We are so thankful that Venue 650 was our choice for our wedding day. It was the perfect place for our friends and family to celebrate together!” 2nd: Adams Estate 3rd: Blue View Barn BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER GONZALEZ LUGO PHOTOGRAPHY 5603 Struthers Ct, Winter Haven (863) 589-8438 FB: Gonzalez Lugo Photography, LLC IG @gonzalezlugophoto gonzalezlugophoto.com Maryel and Alfredo, the couple behind the lens of Gonzalez Lugo Photography, met and fell in love by capturing it for others. Their portfolio is filled with magical, timeless moments, from a sweet hug from a tiny ring bearer to a sunset kiss shared between a bride and groom. “From the first inquiry with us, you will shortly realize that you are not only gaining your wedding photographers but also your go-to friends when you need advice; your timeline creator because we want you to relax and enjoy every single moment of your wedding day, and relax knowing that you’re going to have the most beautiful and timeless imagery of your wedding day.” 2nd: Mikey Beasley | Caloosa Media 3rd: Mindy Mier Photography BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT NEXT LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT LLC 770 Ave B SW, Winter Haven (727) 614-3652 FB @nextlevelent1djs wedding-and-events-by-dj-melvin.business.site This DJ service will have everybody on the dance floor at your upcoming wedding, birthday, or corporate party. They can take your party to the next level with a photo booth, lighting, and special effects. DJ Melvin’s clients continually sing his praises, like this five-star review which reads in part, “DJ Melvin is absolutely amazing!! He is outgoing and funny. Takes good care of his clients and always goes above and beyond. He is super talented and definitely knows what he is doing. He works countless hours making sure each and every wedding is just perfect, and he is very transparent and tells you exactly what to expect on your big day. Not only is he an awesome DJ, but he is a great host and a great coordinator as well.” 2nd: DJ Bush Entertainment 3rd: Triviosity Live Events BEST DRY CLEANER TOP HAT CLEANERS 150 2nd St. NW, Winter Haven (863) 293-2627 212 N Main St, Auburndale (863) 967-2287 FB @TopHatDryCleaners2013 A tip of the hat to Top Hat Cleaners for another year atop the Best Dry Cleaner category! This toptier dry cleaner owned and operated by Michelle Womble offers over 20 years of clean laundry backing up their good reputation. With four convenient locations and eco-friendly GreenEarth technology, what’s not to love? Top Hat Cleaners says, “Our friendly staff takes particular care with each and every order and proudly provides customers with professional workmanship.” 2nd: Dry Clean America 3rd: Executive Dry Cleaners BEST AUTO REPAIR STEWART AUTO REPAIR 1990 42nd St NW, Winter Haven (863) 965-2526 FB @stewartautorepair IG @stewartautorepair stewartautorepair.com Is your AC on the fritz? Transmission giving you trouble? Best Of Haven voters trust their auto repairs to Stewart! Since 1998, Stewart Auto Repair has been servicing a wide range of makes and models for their Central Florida customers. Their skilled service technicians use quality parts to repair collision and auto body damage and back up their work with a warranty. Stewart even invests in the latest auto repair tools and diagnostic software specifically tailored to your vehicle’s software. One customer wrote, “This was my first visit to Stewart Auto Repair, and I have to say I was impressed. I have 40 plus years in automotive service, from master ASE technician to service manager for 3 new car dealers. I have dealt with many independent shops and have to say my first visit to Stewart was excellent.” 2nd: Tires Unlimited 3rd: Auto Dynamics BEST AUTO DEALER JARRETT-GORDON FORD WINTER HAVEN 3015 Lake Alfred Rd, Winter Haven (863) 294-8539 FB @JarrettGordonFordLincoln IG @jarrettgordonfordwh jarrettgordonfordwinterhaven.com From test drive to tune-up, Jarrett-Gordon Ford Winter Haven keeps their customers riding in style. Part of the Jarrett Ford Automotive Group, founded in 1978 by William Richard Jarrett in Dade City, Jarrett-Gordon Ford Winter Haven offers a wide selection of new Ford and Lincoln cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as pre-owned inventory. Their knowledgeable staff will work to find you the car you’re looking for and help to secure used vehicle financing or assist you in taking out a new auto loan. An excerpt of one rave review reads, “We love Jarrett-Gordon Ford and have purchased 4 vehicles from them in the 6 years we’ve been in Florida, two of them were previously owned and have been wonderful and reliable vehicles! The service department has always taken good care of us.” 2nd: Hill Nissan 3rd: Chevrolet Center BEST BOAT DEALER MARINE SUPPLY 717 6th St SW, Winter Haven (863) 293-1156 FB @marinesupplyboats IG @marinesupplytheboatingcenter marinesupplyboats.com Marine Supply the Boating Center is sure to float your boat! Along with their new and used boat inventory and financing, Marine Supply offers services, including battery replacement, oil change, tune-up, electrical repair and installation, storage, and more! Don’t have a boat? Rent one here! At Marine Supply, “The fun begins on the Chain of Lakes.” A customer wrote of this familyowned boat dealer, “I have used Marine Supply for most of my adult life to repair all of my boats over the years. They have always been consistent in their quality of work and fair on their repairs. I wouldn’t consider using anyone else. I have never had an issue with any work they have done for me and am confident in the event of an issue they would respond appropriately.” 2nd: Hillman Motors 3rd: Hoppy’s Marine BEST OIL CHANGE TAKE 5 OIL CHANGE 1530 1st St S, Winter Haven (863) 658-6075 FB @Take5OilChange IG @take5oilchange take5oilchange.com Take 5 Oil Change, home of “the quickest oil change in Winter Haven,” offers a drivethru 10-minute oil change service with no appointment necessary. Just pick your oil from the technicians’ options, sit back, and relax while expert technicians change your oil and filter, replenish under-hood fluids, and check your air filter and wiper blades. One customer’s five-star review reads in part, “I just discovered this place. They were pretty quick. I stayed in my own car for the full service. No uncomfortable waiting room chairs. They were super respectful, polite, and transparent. They don’t charge extra for inspecting parts they could service. They top off all fluids with your oil change.” 2nd: Tires Unlimited 3rd: Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center BEST FINANCIAL ADVISOR AUSTIN THARP AVENTAIL WEALTH MANAGEMENT 353 Ave C SW, Winter Haven (863) 333-1927 FB @aventailwm100 www.aventailwm.com Austin Tharp joined Aventail Wealth Management in 2016 as an Investment Adviser Representative and became the firm’s co-owner and vice president in 2019. In addition to assisting his clients, Tharp has stayed engaged with his community by serving on the Eagle Scout board of review for the Lake Region District and Endeavor Winter Haven, the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals networking group. “Austin prides himself in always giving his clients the highest level of service in a very personal way,” according to Aventail Wealth Management. Tharp’s clients agree, with one writing in part, “Austin is an absolute pleasure to deal with, very responsive and is always happy to discuss questions or concerns.” 2nd: Doug Rathbun | Thornhill Wealth Management UBS Financial Services 3rd: Brittney Oakes | Edward Jones BEST CPA WIGGINS, SMIT, BURBY, REINEKE & CO P.A. 30 4th St SW, Winter Haven 42729 US-27, Davenport (863) 299-8084 FB @WSBR33880 IG @wsbr_cpa cpa-winterhaven.com Wiggins, Smit, Burby, Reineke & Co., P.A. specializes in accounting services for small businesses and tax services for individuals and business owners, including accounting and auditing, professional business consulting, and Quickbooks services. They’ve assisted customers since 1989, forging long-lasting relationships through their commitment to excellence and customer service. “We are committed to providing close, personal attention to our clients. We take pride in giving you the assurance that the personal assistance you receive comes from years of advanced training, technical experience, and financial acumen.” 2nd: Conner & Associates LLC 3rd: Adamson & Co, P.A. BEST ATTORNEY SOUTHERN ATLANTIC LAW GROUP, PLLC 520 6th St NW, Winter Haven (863) 656-6672 FB @WinterHavenbusinesslaw IG @southernatlanlawgroup southernatlanticlaw.com The Southern Atlantic Law Group is a statewide civil litigation and appellate firm whose attorneys have extensive litigation experience in state and federal courts. This Winter Haven-based law firm prides itself on providing client-focused representation and positive results. Their practice areas include appellate law, business litigations, class action, contract disputes, corporate/general counsel, hurricane damage, insurance claims, and personal injury. One five-star review reads, “Southern Atlantic Law Group is the most efficient and professional law firm I have had experience with in the Central Florida area. Would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an attorney that will genuinely care and help!” 2nd: The Law Offices of Carter J. Adams 3rd: Straughn & Turner, P.A. BEST BANK MIDFLORIDA CREDIT UNION Multiple Locations FB @MIDFLORIDA IG @midflorida_creditunion midflorida.com MIDFLORIDA, a repeat Best Of Haven winner for Best Bank, is not-for-profit and member-owned, offering banking products and services including personal and business banking, loans, mortgages, and investing. It began in 1954 as Polk County Teachers Credit Union and now has more than 60 branches as Central Florida’s community credit union. MIDFLORIDA emphasizes personal attention and competitive rates, “Because your money isn’t just a string of numbers on an account statement. It’s personal—and we think the way you bank should reflect that.” 2nd: Citizens Bank & Trust 3rd: SouthState Bank BEST INSURANCE AGENT ERIK SEALY | SEALY INSURANCE 3395 Cypress Gardens Rd, Winter Haven (863) 324-3100 FB: Sealy Insurance What kind of service can you expect from Erik Sealy? According to an excerpt from one five-star review, “Hands down the easiest homeowners insurance experience ever! Erik was very personable, professional and kind!” Sealy is an independent insurance agent representing over 30 home companies and 13 auto carriers, as well as commercial and financial markets, to serve his clients. Whether you need home, life, auto, or business coverage, Best Of Haven voters agree you should seal the deal with Erik Sealy. 2nd: Karen Bryan | State Farm Insurance 3rd: TIE – Barfield Insurance & Financial Services Zinsmeister Insurance BEST SPA MASSAGE AND SPINAL THERAPY OF WINTER HAVEN 546 Avenue A NE, Winter Haven (863) 294-2000 FB @MassageandSpinalTherapyofWinterHavenInc massageandspinaltherapy.com Rest, relax, and revitalize at Massage and Spinal Therapy of Winter Haven. Established in 1990, Massage and Spinal Therapy offer a full menu of spa treatments and care, including spinal decompression, on-site seated massage, Swedish massage, hot stone massage, and more! Give your skin a little love with a body wrap, scrub, facial, or microdermabrasion. One client raved, “Very relaxing atmosphere and super friendly employees! Easy to make appointments. Add the cupping! It will change your life! Love going here with my sister for relaxation time!” 2nd: The Salt Room 3rd: Oasis Spa & Nails BEST HAIR SALON U SALON 2200 Havendale Blvd NW, Winter Haven (863) 287-9231 FB @TheUSalonLLC Looking to touch up your roots or go drastic with a brand new do? A scroll through U Salon’s social media is a vibrant myriad of beautiful hair colors, styles, and cuts. One client wrote, “Kelly did an amazing job on my hair. I love that this salon has private booths, so you’re not sitting directly next to another client. It allows for privacy for each stylist and chill vibes for clients.” While booking an appointment for the Brazilian blowout of your dreams, consider their other services, including eyelash extensions, micro-blading, facials, and mani/ pedi. 2nd: Split Ends 3rd: Posh Salon and Day Spa BEST BARBER BEST CUTS BARBER SHOP 213 Ave O SW, Winter Haven (863) 293-9433 FB @BestCutsWinterHaven IG @bestcutswinterhaven bestcutswinterhaven.com The Best Cuts Barber Shop team in Winter Haven offers services at rates they stand behind for men, women, and kids! The shop opened in 2004 and has continued to build a loyal customer base one cut at a time, offering haircuts, beard trims, washes, hot towel shaves, and massage. One client raves, “We are new to the area and have been looking for a real barbershop. My husband took my boys there today, and they had a great experience. Cool atmosphere, the prices are good, and they received quality haircuts! My boys loved the entire experience and the end results! Highly recommend!” 2nd: TIE – Custom Kutz The Barber Bros. Hairstyling 3rd: Diosa Hair Studio BEST NAIL SALON OASIS SPA AND NAILS 5535 Cypress Gardens Blvd #140, Winter Haven (863) 875-8869 FB: Oasis Spa & Nails IG @oasis.spa.nails oasisspanails.com Oasis Spa and Nails, you really nailed it this year! This is the stuff mani/pedi dreams are made of. Services include a full menu of manicures (including gel), pedicures, acrylic, and even kid services so you can have a spa day with your mini-me! According to Oasis, “Our priority is to make our clients feel pampered and relaxed while getting beautified here at our salon. We will maintain our progressiveness and edginess by creating the latest trends and offering an unforgettable experience throughout your stay with us.” 2nd: HN Nails and Spa II (Tips and Toes) 3rd: Venue Nail Bar BEST TATTOO STUDIO ACES INK 838 6th St NW, Winter Haven (863) 875-3798 FB @acesinktattoo IG @acesinktattoo This repeat Best Of Haven tattoo studio winner must have a few aces up their sleeve! The shop’s mission is “to provide you with quality tattoos/ piercings in an amazing and sterile environment.” Aces Ink has a portfolio full of clean, cool, creative tattoos – and a solid five-star rating to back it up. The following excerpt is only one of the hundreds of glowing reviews for the shop. “This place is amazing. First off, the shop is bright, airy and so clean. Everyone there is super nice and easy to talk to. Jessi was my artist, and wow, she blew my expectations out of the water. The drawing she did was gorgeous, and the tattoo turned out to be more than I could have imagined.” 2nd: Skinfinity Tattoo Company 3rd: True to the Game Tattoos BEST PIERCING ACES INK 838 6th St NW, Winter Haven (863) 875-3798 FB @acesinktattoo IG @acesinktattoo And another win for Aces Ink! Clients rave about all aspects of the shop, including the atmosphere, customer service, professionalism, pricing, and quality of work. Professional Body Piercer Dakota LaRue constantly appears in reviews praising how comfortable she makes her clients and the beautiful job she does in all manner of piercings. “I love everything about this shop. The music is great, the vibe is great, the artists are great. The prices are reasonable. Everything looks very clean and sanitary. They offer you complimentary drinks while you wait. My piercer Dakota was also very nice and professional. She went over everything I needed to know and answered all of my questions with a great attitude. So glad I chose this shop over the other ones.” 2nd: True to the Game Tattoos 3rd: Skinfinity Tattoo Company

Alongside the azaleas and calla lilies, an artistic partnership blossomed this spring. Like a beach sunflower, the creative collaboration and friendship between painter Ashley Cassens and jewelry designer Nicki Turner unfolded and stretched toward the sun. Their collection, entitled “Florescence,” marries prints of Cassens’s oil paintings with a corresponding pair of clay earrings by Cori Rose Handmade artist Nicki Turner. The collection is an ode to the eccentricities, adornments, and charms of a woman’s appearance that have been, and are often still, held against us as ‘over the top,’ ‘temptations,’ ‘too much’ – as “Eye Traps.” “EYE TRAPS” BY ASHLEY CASSENS Ashley Cassens is a Central Florida representational figure painter and Florida Southern College graduate. She grew up in Daytona Beach and moved to Lakeland for college, where she earned her Bachelor in Fine Arts in 2006. She went on to obtain an MFA from Florida Atlantic University in 2017. Her work has been exhibited at the ARC Gallery in Chicago, the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach, the Box Gallery in West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach State College. The artist recently had two of her paintings, “Stirring Secrets” and “Sprinkles,” picked up for licensing at Home Goods. In addition to her career as a commissioned painter, Cassens teaches elementary art. “I fell in love with it,” she said of representational figure painting. “I’m not the kind of person that can wrap my brain around how to make things abstract. It’s hard for me to pair things down and simplify them. I want to make them more complex all the time.” Her most recent series of traditional oil paintings on patterned fabrics is called “Eye Traps.” The name and theme of the series is the reclamation of a term that had been used to shame women. It comes from a pamphlet released by the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), often described as a Christian cult. Cassens listens to podcasts while she’s painting and was enthralled in the “Some Place Under Neith” podcast episode covering the IBLP. The IBLP pamphlet, “Learn Ten Ways to Direct the Eyes of Others to Your Countenance,” is a guide on appearance. It features every girl’s favorite hit, “Wear a Smile.” The leaflet includes tips on choosing a hairstyle to complement the face shape, accents to wear near your face, how to “say the right things with your eyes,” and proper posture. It reads in part, “A lady’s knees must always be kept together when sitting. For the best impression and good health, legs should be crossed at the ankles. Her body should not look as though it were ‘draped’ over the chair.” Ashley Cassens was especially inspired by rule number six: Avoid Eye Traps. Don’t show skin, don’t wear ‘teasing’ fabrics that might cling to the body, or bright spots of color that draw attention away from the face (I think the IBLP is looking at us, ladies). Anything that could draw attention away from the face – accessories, fads, written messages on t-shirts, or any ‘excesses’ – are considered eye traps. There’s even a handy guide in the back to help identify outfits that may include a dreaded eye trap. “All the things they talked about being “eye traps” are what I think make women so beautiful and amazing and unique,” Cassens said. “I wanted to flip this negative term and make it a positive term and trap your eye visually with something that was captivating and beautiful.” The women in her series defy the concept of an “Eye Trap” – some with chopped hair, chunky earrings, bright eyeshadow, and unbothered expressions. She had already been working on the series before she named it, and when she heard the term, she felt it encapsulated her subjects and what drew her to them. After a successful collaboration with interior designer Ann Cox, Cassens wanted to work with another artist again. This time to create something wearable – perhaps a jeweler or sunglass designer. She had a short list of designers she thought would be a good fit, but when she spoke with Nicki Turner, owner, and designer of the Lakeland-based clay jewelry start-up Cori Rose Handmade, the search was over. They clicked immediately and found they had mutual connections. “It was awesome to have another mom to collaborate with because we understand each other’s schedules are tight, and there may be interruptions, and we feel like we don’t have to be so apologetic about it, which is nice,” Cassens said. CORI ROSE HANDMADE Nicki Turner grew up in Illinois, moved to South Carolina, and then landed in Lakeland to attend Southeastern University. She majored in Social Work and has a master’s degree in Human Services. Turner worked with the Department of Children and Families and has volunteered at Parker Street Ministries. She and her husband founded a church in the Parker Street neighborhood called Strong Tower Church. You might say Cori Rose Handmade was born through a clay play date with her daughters. Turner had so much fun making clay donuts with her girls that she was instantly inspired, and design ideas and color palates swirled through her mind. She began following related accounts on social media and checking out books on clay at the library. Eventually, Turner started a social media account for Cori Rose Handmade, dedicated to sharing her creations with friends. She wasn’t selling her jewelry but would happily gift them. Her friends and family implored Turner to offer her art for sale. “It was a hard concept for me – thinking about selling something that I love to do because I just wanted to share the joy that I had making it with other people,” she said. Last summer, she started attending markets as a vendor and launched an online store. Her daughters are still involved with Cori Rose Handmade. She and her mini business partners gather for business meetings where they discuss color palettes. She’ll ask the girls what they’re drawn to or what colors make them feel happy. “In our house, we love to play with color – mugs, nail polish, art on the walls.” In June, Turner left her job at Southeastern to create full-time for Cori Rose Handmade. She’d worked at the college for three years and missed spending time with her girls. She wanted to volunteer at their school and her church more often and work on her designs. “While I was at work, I was daydreaming about making earrings and color palettes,” she laughed. This spring, when an email from Ashley Cassens came through, Turner looked up the artist and was thrilled at the possibility of a collaboration. “I was blown away by her work,” Turner said. The pair went back and forth on an idea that would incorporate one another’s art. They worked on color palettes and mood boards for the collaboration. Once the earrings were complete, Cassens added them to her paintings. The pair didn’t meet in person until their collection debut at Venue 650 in June. “This doesn’t seem real, this dream of working with another artist,” Turner said. “I feel like we work very well together even though we haven’t known each other long. […] It’s a unique thing to meet someone else and just get each other and work together so well.” Cassens and Turner have two bundles for sale in the Florescence Collection, each including a 5x7 print and corresponding clay earrings. The limited collection includes the “Rosario” bundle and the “Praised Mightily” bundle. The name Florescence suited their joint efforts. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a state or period of flourishing.” The title paid homage to that love of floral and the positively blooming subjects of Cassens’s “Eye Traps” series. “We both loved florals. We loved the idea of blooming,” Turner said. “These women, they’re blooming, and their beauty is showing through who they are.” The Florescence Collection is available for pre-order at corirose.com. Keep up with both artists on social media to see what markets they will attend in the future (and maybe future projects together). Cori Rose Handmade www.corirose.com FB @corirosehandmade IG @corirosehandmade Ashley Cassens www.ashleycassens.com FB: Ashley Cassens Art IG @ashley.cassens

Imagine walking into the doors of a local seafood market where attention to every detail has not been lost. The building is new and modern. Over fifty varieties of fresh fish and shellfish are displayed in pristine glass cases, with neatly arranged sections of produce, spices, local honey, and sauces throughout. The atmosphere, reminiscent of a Fresh Market or boutique grocer, is pleasant and inviting. There are prepackaged portions of housemade ceviche and aguachile alongside an array of fresh salsas. Coolers stocked with cold beer and wine, and freezers, filled with even more frozen seafood and vegetables, line the walls. A restaurant and grill attached gives customers the option to have their purchase professionally prepared for dinein or take-out, and also boasts a wide-ranging menu and stylish indoor and outdoor seating. Now, what if I told you this place exists and is located right here, in the heart of Florida? Say hello to Haines City’s own Zócalo Fish Market and Grill, a unique, family-owned eatery and market wowing seafood lovers of all backgrounds and ethnicities. The grill offers primarily Latin-based cuisine ranging from molcajete and mofongo to tacos and ceviche, while the market offers everything from oysters and octopus to ahi tuna and Chilean sea bass. The doors opened in April of 2021, but to understand its origins, we have to go all the way back to the 1960s. Gabriel Tejada had just immigrated from the Dominican Republic to New York City and started out washing dishes in a restaurant. Over the next decade or so, he held several different jobs, always saving money for a new opportunity. During this time, he met his wife, Esperanza. They married in 1969 and had two children, Juan and Ibelice. By the mid-70s, they had saved enough money to buy a small bodega in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It was the first of several businesses the family would own and operate, including laundromats, more bodegas, and even a supermarket. In April of 2002, the entire world was still reeling from the September 11th attacks, and Gabriel and Esperanza, along with their son Juan and his wife Magaly, moved to Central Florida for a new start. Some family had moved here in previous years, and the Tejada’s saw an opportunity to take what they’d learned in the hyper-competitive New York City market and apply it here. Gabriel and Juan purchased a small convenience store in Haines City and, with a lot of hard work, built it into a thriving general store. Gabriel chose the name “Zócalo” (pronounced soh-kuh-loh) to appeal to the Mexican immigrant population that was, at the time, their primary customer base. Translated to English, it means the public square or plaza of a city or town, the most famous of which being in Mexico City. In the years to come, Zócalo would live up to its well-chosen namesake. Sadly, Gabriel passed away in 2005 at only 65 years of age, leaving the business to his wife, Esperanza, and children, Juan and Ibelice. Until then, Ibelice and her husband, Bryan Delaney, had only contributed financially and helped when they could when visiting from New York, as the couple operated several bars in the city. They became much more involved with the running of the market, and their combined experience, along with Juan’s, helped the business to continue growing. In 2009, a twist of fate would offer an opportunity to grow exponentially when the land next door was developed into a large plaza. Delaney said, “The corner location was to house a supermarket with a Latin focus, putting it in direct competition with the Zócalo Discount Food.” However, the owner approached the family and proposed they take over the space instead and move Zócalo to that location. “The idea of jumping from a 2400 square foot space with eight employees to a 15,000+ square foot, full-blown supermarket with possibly 50 to 80 employees was a bit frightening, to say the least!” said Delaney. “The three of us [Juan, Ibelice, and Delaney] met and agreed to make the move, and we signed the lease in October of 2009.” “We opened in March of 2010 on a hope and a lot of prayers!” continued Delaney. “Underfunded, overextended, but loaded with excitement and a strong work ethic, Juan and his small team from the original store began to run the business and grow with each month.” Over the last decade, the supermarket has expanded to 16,000 square feet. It has a full-service butcher, a full bakery, an in-house tortilla maker, produce and dry goods, and a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Many of the employees from the original store now work as managerial staff, overseeing different departments of the store, with Juan as the principal owner and manager. Delaney said, “The supermarket has become a center of the entire Latin-American community, offering foods that cater to Caribbean, Central, and South American cultures, as well as the original Mexican products and cuisine.” After Esperanza passed away in September 2011, leaving the business to her children, the family continued to carry on the Tejada legacy of hard work and searching out new opportunities. “The grill idea came from growing up in the northeast where this is more common in seafood markets where you often have a grill attached offering the fresh daily catches for consumption on premise,” Dalaney added. The seafood market itself is extraordinary. The sheer selection of fish and shellfish conjures images of Las Ramblas Market in Barcelona, with almost every kind of seafood imaginable. They have whole fishes, fileted fishes, crawfish, mussels, squid, octopus, clams, conch meat, crab legs, whole crabs, live crabs, lobster, shrimp of all sizes, and more. There are even pre-shucked oysters (with accoutrements included), and the range of produce is extensive enough to make this a one-stop shop for a fabulous seafood dinner. The Molcajete is a combination of jumbo shrimp, octopus, calamari, fried fish, crab claws, peppers, scallions, and onions served in a creamy jalapeno cheese broth, sizzling hot, in a special iron bowl. The Puerto Rican specialty, mofongo, can be served with either shrimp, calamari, scallops, or chicken and consists of mashed plantains mixed with garlic covered in a red marinara-style sauce or a cream-based “white” sauce. There is a Zócalo-style lobster roll served with spicy mayo on a Kaiser roll and fried plantains filled with seafood. In addition, the grill serves tacos, fajitas, a variety of grilled and fried fish, chicken, steak, sandwiches and burgers, ceviche, soup, salad, and wings. The grill’s signature drink is the Michelada, a cross between a beer and a spicy Bloody Mary, but other beers and wine options are available. They also offer house-made Agua Fresca flavors like watermelon, passion fruit, and mango that rotate daily, along with sodas and lemonade. The Tejada family is committed to customer service and constantly working with new ideas and fun additions to the menu, like the recently added, Oysters under the Sun, a cold beer served amid a plate of raw oysters topped with spicy ceviche. Future plans include more events for customers like fish fries, sponsoring fishing charters, and expanding their rotating fish selections. They are adding a lobster tank to offer live Maine lobster and working on providing recipes through social media and, possibly, in-store demonstrations. As the business has grown, Zócalo has seen its customer base evolve from primarily Hispanic to a much more diverse clientele. With a bilingual staff and excellent signage in both English and Spanish, Zócalo encourages everyone to visit, no matter their ethnic background. The hard work and attention to detail this family brings to the “table” are sure to delight seafood lovers from all walks of life. Gabriel and Esperanza would be proud! Photographs by Nate Schaller Zócalo Fish Market and Grill 308 U.S. Hwy 17-92 N, Haines City, FL (863) 547-8003 www.zocalofishmarket.com FB: Zocalo Fish Market and Grill IG @zocalofishmarketgrill

Winter Haven’s historic Ritz Theatre will get an otherworldly dose of dream pop from Spirit and the Cosmic Heart later this month. The band is headlining a show at the Ritz on August 27 at 8 pm, joined by special guest Brett Staska. Spirit’s lineup of local bandmates includes Joshua Miller on guitar and vocals, Daniel Miller on bass, Ian Lopez on drums, Dallas Smith on keyboards and trumpet, and Melody Wells on guitar and vocals. Their sound is an intoxicating meld of synth and shadow, like a shoegaze daydream. “The first time I saw Spirit and the Cosmic Heart, they had me in like a trance. I was immediately hooked. It was one of those moments where you just realize that this band is going to go far. That was almost three years ago, and they haven’t played in Winter Haven since,” said Austin Tharp, a volunteer for the Ritz Theatre. The last time Tharp caught a Spirit and the Cosmic Heart show, he told Joshua Miller, “I’m going to get you all to play at the Ritz in Winter Haven, and we are going to sell out.” Tharp went to Executive Director Alyssa Garber with the idea. “I really enjoy what’s going on at The Ritz, and I love seeing it filled up. One of my goals is to bring awareness to some of the great local musical talent we have here in Winter Haven,” Tharp added. “The talent is here, they just need a stage to show it and someone to advocate for them, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Artist William Larence is creating an installation for the show. Guitarist and vocalist for the band, Joshua Miller said of Larence, “Bill is a creative force, and a very close friend for decades. As soon as we began organizing the Ritz show, I knew Bill needed to be involved. His artistic vision inspires us to prepare the best musical performance possible, to match the creative energy he’s putting into the visual aspect of the night.” Larence said he is “creating a dynamic, multidimensional, art installation that combined, wholehearted and energetically with Spirit and the Cosmic Heart’s musical performance, will pulsate cosmic, loving sensations and [...] help the audience transcend into the electromagnetic vortex of the universe.” HAVEN spoke with Spirit’s Joshua Miller about the band, the upcoming Ritz Theatre performance, and their next album. HAVEN (HV): Tell me the Spirit origin story. JOSHUA MILLER (JM): A few years ago, Daniel (bass) and I were in a place where we felt putting a band together was a good idea. Ian (drums) and I have played music together since middle school; he naturally joined. Dallas and Melody came later. They bring a very important element to the sound and vision of Spirit. HV: Who were some early inspirations? JM: Gravitating toward vintage and analog gear: Roland Juno 60, Wurlitzer Piano and the Jazz Chorus amps – a deep love for bands like The Cure and pop songwriting sensibility like the Beach Boys. Now we find most inspiration from each other’s creativity really. We’ve played music together for the right amount of time. We can sense what each member’s role in the song will be, giving space for one another. HV: You released the EPs “Dreams” (2018), “Memories” (2019), and “Moments” (2021) which was also your first physical form of music with a limited cassette release with New Granada Records. You mentioned that Spirit is finishing writing your first full-length album leading up to the Ritz show. Do you have a title and a release date? JM: Yes, finally, a full-length album. Our creative process takes much longer than desired. With getting older, life can bring unexpected responsibilities that require time and energy. Staying in a band can sometimes be tough through it all. Keeping it all together, putting yourself out there can feel impossible. But I’ve been dreaming of what this album will sound like for years. Watching it come together is beautiful. Being able to share our new songs live for the first time at the Ritz is exciting and also a bit scary. Spending the energy and holding onto them, crafting, editing, making the best possible versions. After the wild ride the world has been on these last years, it feels more important than ever to create something like this. Spirit is our therapy, the escape from all the fuzz in the world - and we hope when people listen to the music or watch us play live, they feel that too. HV: Tell me about the overall mood/ theme of this new album. Was there a specific inspiration or direction when writing it? What can fans expect? JM: As songs slowly reveal themselves, the direction becomes more clear. Once everything is complete and recorded, I can really understand what the intentions and concepts are. That seems like an odd way to approach songwriting or art, but it does come from an honest place. I might not know what I’m trying to tell you in a song, but I know afterward, we’ll both be feeling something. HV: Will it release solely digitally or physical copies too? JM: Vinyl is the dream for this one. Streaming is the necessity. HV: What is it like to play around your home county versus elsewhere out on the road? JM: Traveling in a van with friends and performing music feels like magic. Playing these songs in different states, seeing people connect to the music feels surreal. We did a 10-day southeast tour last Spring. Every night was special. HV: Will this be your first time playing the Ritz? JM: About 20 years ago, Ian and I played a DIY show at the Ritz. There were parts of the theatre roped off with holes in the floor. It feels like a true homecoming to have the opportunity to perform at the Ritz Theatre. It will be a special night for all of us. 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Polk’s “Uncommonly Musical” Sixties, Gram Parsons, and a Cosmic Collaboration to Save the Derry Down The sixties in Polk County, Florida, claimed a transcendental sum total of talent. Some kind of musical magic was in the water, or maybe the stars. It was the birthplace of the Father of Cosmic American Music, Gram Parsons, along with a broad list of other epochal musicians and entertainers who emerged from these sleepy southern towns. Garage band kids from Winter Haven, Auburndale, and Eloise would go on to become acclaimed songwriters, comedians, and performers. Something celestial must have laid at the junction of time and place – in this slice of Florida throughout the sixties – a place Bob Kealing called “uncommonly musical.” The effects of Elvis Presley and the Beatles can’t be discounted, said Kealing, the author of Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock. They were ubiquitous on the radio, the paramount of celebrity, and spent significant time in the Sunshine State, Presley in 1956 and the Beatles in 1964. Elvis even performed a show at the Polk Theatre in Lakeland on August 6, 1956. “That was huge for people because it was the dawning of youth culture – it was the dawning of music that was made for teens,” Kealing said. “Rock and roll spoke to a lot of teen yearning and feelings of angst and anxiety.” Musician, comedy writer, and childhood friend to Gram Parsons, Jim Carlton suspects the showbiz spirit of Florida’s first theme park had something to do with it. Before moving from Chicago, Carlton’s parents took him to see a film shot at Cypress Gardens, Easy to Love (1953), starring Esther Williams and Van Johnson, to give their son a glimpse of his new home. “Cypress Gardens was this little hub of show business, a little oasis in the middle of Florida,” he said. The collaborative culture of band hopping, jam sessions, and playing gigs in youth centers across Central Florida certainly played a role. “My dad always said the best thing you can do is play music with other people,” Carlton said. And he was right. Local garage bands like the Legends, the Dynamics, and the Steppin’ Stones produced prolific musicians, like Jim Stafford, Jon Corneal, and Les Dudek. Lakeland-born, Auburndale-raised Bobby Braddock was a product of Polk County’s musical pinnacle. A pianist for the Dynamics, Braddock has had a series of No. 1 hit songs spanning five decades. He and Curly Putman co-wrote “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” recorded by Tammy Wynette, and George Jones’s chart-topping classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Braddock paid homage to his hometown in his autobiography Down in Orburndale: A Songwriter’s Youth in Old Florida. The late Carl Chambers, who passed away in 2020, was another Auburndale musician and songwriter to make a hit, composing Alabama’s “Close Enough to Perfect.” Kent LaVoie, who performs as Lobo, grew up in Winter Haven. The singer-songwriter has had major chart success with songs like “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo” and “I’d Love You to Want Me.” And, of course, there’s Gram Parsons – a country rock cult figure and genre pioneer. He may not have cut his teeth on twang, but Gram certainly became a country music tastemaker and luminary. Parsons’s backstory is imbued with equal measure talent and tragedy. The winsome Winter Haven-born musician carried an earnestness in his voice that endears listeners almost fifty years after his death. Whether he’s bluesy belting “Cry One More Time for You” or giving a subtle Elvis lip snarl and afflicted gaze while singing “Hot Burrito #1,” those who discover Gram don’t soon forget him. Parsons’s renown is most often attributed to his later work with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram and the Fallen Angels, his solo work, and collaborations with Emmylou Harris. One jewel on the crown of his legacy was co-writing “Hickory Wind” with Bob Buchanan, released on the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo album in 1968. The first few guitar twangs of the song are a promise only Parsons can make good on, as he delivers the first line, “In South Carolina…” with his lofty southern sweetness. Two famous friends and collaborators cardinal to his career and personal life were Rolling Stones guitarist and frontman Keith Richards and a young Emmylou Harris, whom author Bob Kealing referred to as Parsons’s “vocal soul mate.” During Harris’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame decades after Parsons’s death, his enduring memory and mark are present. While introducing Emmylou, Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young called Gram the one “who would help [Harris] understand the true power, poetry, purity, and perhaps the political righteousness of country music as the voice of, by, and for the people.” The enigmatic chemistry between Emmylou and Gram is the stuff of legend, living on in perpetuity. Swedish folk duo, First Aid Kit, called their songs “quite the musical revelation.” Inspired by Gram and Emmylou’s relationship and “the joy and magic of singing with someone you love,” the pair released the song “Emmylou” in 2012. Harris gently wiped tears from her cheek during the 2015 Polar Music Prize ceremony as the pair sang “Emmylou.” During the chorus, the sisters lilt: I’ll be your Emmylou and I’ll be your June If you’ll be my Gram and my Johnny too No, I’m not asking much of you Just sing little darling, sing with me In a 2010 Rolling Stone article listing Gram Parsons as #87 in the list of the “100 Greatest Artists” of all time, friend Keith Richards called Gram “everything you wanted in a singer and a songwriter,” and said, “we can’t know what his full impact could have been. If Buddy Holly hadn’t gotten on that plane, or Eddie Cochran hadn’t turned the wrong corner, think of what stuff we could have looked forward to, and be hearing now. It would be phenomenal.” Parsons’s former bandmate and “Spiders and Snakes” songwriter, Jim Stafford, shared the sentiment. “He was headed in the right direction if he had lived long enough. The sad part is none of us will ever get to know what he could have accomplished because he really was a gifted young man. He really was.” But, before he would carve out a cosmic career, cement his name in country rock history, and leave the world too soon, Gram Parsons was just another kid from Winter Haven, Florida who loved Elvis. THE GRAM SCHEME OF THINGS Gram Parsons was born Ingram Cecil Connor III in Winter Haven, Florida. The Conners moved to Waycross, Georgia where his father, Cecil “Coon Dog” Conner II, worked in a family box plant. In Waycross, Gram saw an up-and-coming Elvis Presley at the city auditorium in February 1956. Gram Parsons biographer Bob Kealing noted that the effect this had on Gram was “immediate and long-lasting.” The pursuit of music and celebrity would be a fixture in Parsons life from this moment forward. Gram’s maternal grandparents were the exceedingly wealthy Winter Haven citrus family, the Snivelys. Patriarch John Snively was a fertilizer salesman turned real estate investor and citrus millionaire. The Snively mansion can still be seen in LEGOLAND Florida Resort today as John was the one who’d sold the land on which Cypress Gardens was built. This charmed citrus-money lineage guaranteed Gram a rather healthy trust fund. That trust fund didn’t mean he would be spared tribulation though. Parsons lost his father to suicide on December 23, 1958, and his mother to alcoholism on the day of his high school graduation from the Bolles School. Gram’s own death at 26, in Joshua Tree, California, on September 19, 1973 and the circumstances that followed have unfortunately – at least partially – cast a shadow over his musical contributions. Kealing felt compelled to tell Gram’s story for this reason. “It really felt like Gram had an unfinished life,” he said. The overemphasis on the morbid circumstances surrounding Parsons’s death in the California desert inspired Kealing to write a book that forwent the macabre for what mattered. During a 2013 book signing at the Winter Haven Public Library, the author said, “I was looking for some sort of redemption in Gram Parsons’s story. Less about the hype and sensationalism, more about the rich fabric of the definative places that he called home. The people with whom he played and those who carry on his legacy. That’s why I wanted my book to be a song of the south — Gram’s story rooted in places like Winter Haven and Waycross — not LA, not Joshua Tree, California.” In the same spirit, this article will focus on stories from Parsons’s formative years and career – on his contemporaries and friends – those who shaped the music scene within and beyond the orange groves, pine scrub, and murky lakes of Polk County, Florida. Following the death of his father in 1958, Gram moved with his mother, “Big Avis” Connor and younger sister, “Little Avis” back to Winter Haven. It was here that Gram would step into the limelight, and never really leave. The first band Parsons played with was called the Pacers. In 1960, he sang to a crowd of some 50 kids at the Dundee train depot. Gram would eventually move on to start his own band called the Legends. There are several iterations of the band throughout the years seeing members come and go. The Legends started in 1961 with Gram playing guitar and piano, Jim Stafford from Eloise on lead guitar, Lamar Braxton on drums, and his friend Jim Carlton on upright bass. Jim Carlton met Gram Connor in 1959 when he transferred to St. Joseph Catholic School. “I am not Catholic, and neither was he, but my folks were told I’d get a better education there and I probably did. It was a heck of a lot more fun than public school,” Carlton said. Jim’s father, Chicago musician Ben Carlton, moved his family to Winter Haven in 1954 to work in-studio for the radio show Florida Calling. Contracted by the Florida Citrus Commission, the show was broadcast five days a week from the Florida Citrus Building. Within ten minutes of meeting, Jim and Gram became friends, united by a sharp sense of humor. Carlton described Gram as a bright kid, and said, “Even then he was very magnetic.” In a time where boys called one another by their last names, Carlton took notice that for the young Connor boy – everyone just called him Gram. At school, the nuns would task Gram with watching over younger classes if a teacher had to step out. He was known to tell stories to keep the children entertained. “He was confabulous,” Carlton laughed. “If you believed everything Gram ever said, you were a fool. He spread a lot of his own legend if you will. […] But he was so damn good at it.” In fact, Gram would go on to ‘spread his own legend’ while at Harvard. In a comical turn of events, he convinced the school paper that he and his college band, the Like, had signed with RCA Records, a falsehood picked up by The Boston Globe with even more fabulous claims tacked on – carried further down the line, the following week by The Tampa Tribune. Storytelling aside, there was a maturity about Gram, gilded with boyish charm. Carlton described Parsons as a nonjudgmental character who rejected the prejudices that were a hallmark of the 1960s deep south. Adults like Carlton’s father remarked on Gram’s intellect. A stylish dresser and ever ‘his own man’ as Carlton described him, Parsons made other boys envious when girls would ogle over him. “He would take that in stride,” his friend said. Gram had even been hit a few times by jealous boyfriends – but he could take a punch. Parsons’s good looks and style would be a point of recognition for the rest of his life. His rhinestone-studded Nudie suit embroidered with naked ladies, pot leaves, pills, and poppies with a bold red cross radiating rainbow rays on the back remains an epic piece music fashion history. During a talk at a Brunswick, Georgia library in 1992 journalist Stanley Booth, who traveled with the Rolling Stones and wrote the book The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones, described the first time he saw Gram entering a room with Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Booth, who also grew up in Waycross, Georgia, remembered Gram as “very handsome” and said he “looked like the sweetheart of the rodeo” with his long brown, frosted blond locks. “The Rolling Stones were famous – they were really famous. They were cool. […] And here’s this guy with them, who’s better looking, he’s got better clothes, he had better everything,” Booth said. While young Gram did impress parents and girls, the sharpdressed kid never shied away from a good time. He and pal Jim Carlton much preferred the company of the adults in their lives. “They had the booze, and they had the cigarettes, and they had the parties. It kind of eclipsed our high school friends,” Carlton said. The dynamic duo would put together routines to entertain during get-togethers. Gram would play the banjo or guitar, with Carlton noodling on bass or guitar. “We worked up a Smothers Brothers routine once,” Carlton said. “Gram would have made a tremendous comedy writer. He had a terrific sense of humor – very sarcastic.” Carlton would go on to have a noteworthy comedy career of his own. He kept in touch with Legends bandmate, funnyman, and guitar hero, Jim Stafford. Carlton has written with the likes of Stafford, the Smothers Brothers, Gallagher, and Joan Rivers. He traveled all around casino towns and LA as a writer, thanks to Jim Stafford who Carlton called a “tremendous influence” on his career. Gram’s quiet maturity didn’t get in the way of goofing around with his friends either. Like when the Legends would go out of town for a gig and stay at a hotel, they’d stack beer cans in a pyramid against the mirror. Carlton said, “There was an adolescent sense of fun with him around. He loved having people around, loved having pals come over. He’d always have somebody hanging out because I think there was a sadness, and a melancholy to him.” Stepfather Bob Parsons, whose last name Gram took after Parsons adopted him, was ceaselessly supportive of Gram’s musical aspirations. Bob bought Gram a Volkswagen bus with ‘The Legends’ inscribed along the side before he even had a license. Consequently, older bandmates like Jim Stafford would have to drive them to and from gigs. The Legends line-up would shift in 1962 when Gram recruited the Dynamics band members, two boys from Auburndale, Gerald “Jesse” Chambers and Jon Corneal. Gram was on keyboards, guitar, and vocals, with Jim Stafford on lead guitar, Chambers on bass and vocals, and Corneal on drums. Sam Killebrew, now a Florida Representative, was their band manager. He still has the business cards to prove it. Corneal appreciated Gram’s ability to land well-paying bookings, like a gig playing a horse show banquet in the ballroom of the Haven Hotel. The Legends played teen centers, holiday parties, hotel lounges, high school dances, and events at Nora Mayo Hall. “You have to have a place to be bad,” Carlton said. “Often the place to be bad is at teen centers and Holiday Inn lounges.” The Legends made several appearances on WFLA channel 8’s musical television show, Hi-Time, along with other Polk County bands like the Dynamics. “Close Enough to Perfect” songwriter, and cousin to Jesse Chambers, Carl Chambers took a reel-toreel recording of the Legends playing “Rip It Up” and the Everly Brothers’ “Let It Be Me” during an appearance on the show. The Legends were a hit and won Hi-Time’s Band of the Year. On the heels of his time leading the Legends, Gram entered his folk phase. Lakeland’s Dixieland district was a magnet for musically inclined and interested teens of the 1960s. The city even had its own happening coffeehouse called the Other Room, where folk artists performed. Casswin Music (where Gram got his first Fender Stratocaster guitar) was situated on the same stretch of Florida Avenue, along with Fat Jack’s Deli which opened in 1963. “We’d all go over there together and goof off,” said Legends drummer Jon Corneal. He remembered Jay Erwin, part-owner of Casswin Music. Erwin wrote and funded Gram’s single, “Big Country.” Beyond his music store, Erwin’s mark on Lakeland’s music history was indelible. The Casswin Music owner was instrumental in organizing the Lakeland Civic Symphony in 1965, now the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra, even acting as their first conductor. “He was a bee-bopper […], and he talked cool,” Corneal said of Erwin. “We’d go over there and get cool-talking lessons. It was ‘man this’ and ‘man that.’ He was the first person to ever call me ‘man.’ I was just a teenager – I liked being called ‘man.’” The boys would head over to Fat Jack’s Deli next door, where they’d go for a hot pastrami on rye, and Corneal would eat his weight in kosher pickles. The Other Room, a coffeehouse and folkie spot, started by Lakeland guitarist Rick Norcross, was a regular haunt and performance venue for Gram, and a central part of his folk identity of the mid-sixties. Jim Carlton still has the 45-rpm acetate thought to be Parsons’s earliest studio recording. Gram recorded two acoustic tunes in recording engineer Ernie Garrison’s Lakeland home: “Big Country” and “Racing Myself with the Wind.” “Those were his first efforts at songwriting,” noted Carlton. Well, that, and all his compositions to flatter the girl du jour, songs like “Pam” and “Joan,” which Jon Corneal had accompanied him to record in a modest studio inside Casswin Music. Like his buddy Gram, Carlton played the folk scene as he joked, through “the folk music scare of the late 60s.” He went on to play on the same circuit and become friends with prolific singersongwriter and “Florida Troubadour,” Gamble Rogers. He later joined a show trio called Solomon, Carlton and Jones which performed shows around Disney. The group was a regional darling with regular photos and write-ups in the newspaper. Gram joined his first professional band, a Greenville, South Carolina group called the Shilos, in 1963. Later the band would record “Big Country” together. In April of 1964, the Shilos made a trip to Chicago on the dime of Cypress Gardens owner Dick Pope, tasked to make promotional recordings for the park in preparation for a visit from King Hussein of Jordan. Author Bob Kealing spoke with Shilos’ banjo player, Paul Surratt, about the trip in his book: Surratt remembered the Shilos recording five or six songs in Chicago, including “Julie-Anne,” a New Christy Minstrels song Gram convinced his confederates he’d written. There was also a jaunty tune Gram actually did write as a kind of Cypress Gardens theme, “Surfinanny,” patterned closely after a song called “Raise a Ruckus Tonight.” It kills Surratt to this day that the other songs recorded were left at the studio and apparently lost to history. The Shilo’s returned to Winter Haven later that year for another special occasion – the opening of the Derry Down. Bob Parsons wanted to gift his stepson a space he and his buddies could play whenever he was in town. Gram’s very own club was hosted in a nondescript warehouse on Fifth Street in Winter Haven. “He and Avis encouraged Gram’s musical pursuits,” Kealing said. “It was far from perfect in their own home and in a sense, Gram was raising himself. But I don’t think there’s any doubt that they opened the Derry Down as a teen club to encourage Gram’s musical talent.” The club’s name and theme were Old English-inspired. The Derry Down menu included Derryburgers and Downdogs, prepared by Gram’s stepdad. “Bob Parsons was cheffing. He loved to do that more than just about anything,” Carlton said. The teen club served up nonalcoholic beverages befitting the Old English motif including a Wales Sunset, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Hotspur. In a Tampa Tribune article Gram commented, “We were really going to go old English, but the trouble is nobody here understands it. Even Hotspur is pretty far out for Winter Haven. All they want to know is what’s in it.” The article notes that kids would pay “a dollar a head to hear Gram Parsons and the Shilos, a merry band of teen-age folk singers with surprising talent.” Derry Down patrons had to show identification at the front door to prove they were under 21 to get in. The stage was set up along the right wall as guests walked in. There was a small kitchen for Bob Parsons to cook the burgers and hot dogs. In the ladies bathroom was a vanity table and chair for girls to powder their noses. Jim Carlton described the opening of the Derry Down, on December 20, 1964, as an affair attracting Winter Haven’s well-to-do socialites – the elbow rubbers and friends of Gram’s moneyed mother “Big Avis.” Carlton said, “Opening night was a soiree for the ‘e-lite and the po-lite’ as we’d call it in Winter Haven.” Both Carlton’s mother and Big Avis donned fur stoles for the event. Radio station WINT was on-site to simulcast the Shilos performance from the grand opening, and Carlton sat stageside with a reel-to-reel recorder for the concert. He still has the recordings. Jon Corneal remembers the espresso machine Gram brought into the Derry Down – an almost alien luxury in 1960s Winter Haven, rumored to be the first of its kind here. “I’d never heard of an espresso machine,” Corneal said. The Derry Down building on Fifth Street would later become the Pied Piper, and the Derry Down teen club moved to Cypress Gardens Boulevard. By the summer of 1965, Gram had graduated high school, his mother had died, and the Beatles wave had crashed into the United States, ebbing the folk era out to sea. Parsons had left the Shilos and found himself at a career crossroads. That summer, between his time in Greenwich Village and Harvard, a dejected Gram shared his frustrations with Jim Stafford at his Winter Haven home. “Everybody that I knew was trying to figure out where our place was in all of this,” remembered Stafford. “He was a little bummed out.” There, Stafford gave Gram the advice that would change his musical trajectory. “I said it without an ounce of thought,” Stafford said. He told Gram that with his long hair and good singing voice, “Well, you should be a country Beatle.” Modest about his role in Gram’s subsequent genre migration, Stafford laughed and said, “He probably thought that was stupid. […] At the moment, I don’t think that sounded so hot to him.” Gram must have mulled that over harder than Stafford realized at the time, because he would later tell Jim Carlton, that advice was a catalyst for his country rock career. “Gram wanted to be a celebrity, that was first and foremost,” Carlton said. After learning to play “Steel Guitar Rag,” a twangy tune by country western crooner Bob Wills, he played it for Gram at his house. Gram said, ‘Carlton, what are you doing?’ and sat down at the piano to play some Floyd Cramer country licks, poking fun at his pal. “So, he didn’t give a damn about country music then,” Carlton said. “But he was grooming himself to be a celebrity of some kind. […] Somebody had said that if he’d have grown up in Minnesota, he would have figured out a way to make polka music hip.” Where someone like Jim Stafford would spend hours a day mastering his guitar, Gram was more unabashedly interested in the star power of it all. Not to say the music wasn’t important to him, just if being a country Beatle was going to bring him fame and acclaim, a country Beatle he would be. “Gram, as I used to say, he’s about as countryfied as Gore Vidal,” Carlton said. “Nevertheless, he became a wonderful exponent of country music.” The day after Christmas, 1965, Gram Parsons picked up an acoustic guitar for an impromptu recording session at Jim Carlton’s house. The latter had received a Sony 500 reel-to-reel recorder from a Pan Am pilot friend who brought it over from Tokyo. “It was the best toy train set a musically inclined boy ever had,” he said. Gram wanted to share music he’d pick up from his time in Greenwich Village and a few songs he’d written. “He’d come home with these terrific songs by Fred Neil or [....] Bob Dylan,” Carlton said. “He had these terrific songs and wanted to share them with somebody who would appreciate it. They certainly weren’t going to make their way to Winter Haven.” These recordings would be some of the last vestiges of Gram Parsons’s folkie persona. In 2000, Carlton co-produced the album Gram Parsons: Another Side of This Life, with Bob Irwin on Sundazed Records. “What’s significant is that these were during his folk music era,” he said. These “lost recordings of Gram Parsons” as the album cover reads, include music from those 1965 recordings, along with some from the year following, including tracks “Another Side of This Life,” “Codine,” and “Brass Buttons.” The album has sold over 20,000 copies worldwide and continues to garner interest from “completionist” Gram fans and the music industry the world over. “It is beautiful,” said Parsons fan and founding father of the Derry Down Project, Gene Owen. “It’s a transitional Gram.” Gram could play a country tune like “Together Again” or “Love Hurts” and inspire goosebumps if not tears. Carlton said, “Give it to Gram and he brought something special to it that would touch people, and in a nutshell that was his magic. He was very soulful, and it was genuine.” Perhaps this is what Jim Lauderdale experienced the first time he heard Gram. Cosmically gifted in his own right, two-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale looks at Gram Parsons‘s like the sun. The soul and sincerity permeating Parsons’ catalog is nothing short of spiritual for the musician who has written for George Strait, Patty Loveless, George Jones, the Dixie Chicks, Gary Allen, and Elvis Costello. Of Parsons, Lauderdale said, “It was an important musical event when I first heard him – like hearing the Beatles for the first time or George Jones or Ralph Stanley – those musical moments where you remember exactly where you were and what you felt the first time you heard them.” The first album Lauderdale picked up with Gram’s soulful country sound was Grievous Angel. He said, “From the very first song, all through the album, I was transfixed.” Eager to get his hands on anything Parsons was involved with, Lauderdale sought out his other music from GP to Sweetheart of the Rodeo and The Gilded Palace of Sin. He read interviews with Gram and those associated with him, and biographies of the late musician – the first of which would go on to inspire the song, “King of Broken Hearts.” Lauderdale wrote “King of Broken Hearts” as a tribute to Gram Parsons and George Jones after reading Gram Parsons: A Musical Biography by Sid Griffin. Lauderdale said, “I read about a party that Gram was at. He was playing George Jones records, and he started crying, and he said, ‘That’s the king of broken hearts.’” He released the song, produced by Rodney Crowell and John Leventhal on his 1991 Planet of Love album. The following year, George Strait included it, as well as another of Lauderdale’s songs, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” on his record, Pure Country. Jim Lauderdale sings “King of Broken Hearts” at just about every show. “I think about Gram when I’m singing it.” Lauderdale would get the chance to sing that song and think about Gram in a place that has become sacred to his legacy and his hometown – Gram Parsons Derry Down. But first it would need to be resurrected. Gram Parsons remains a holy man for those who worship at the altar of good, honest music. But, he wasn’t the only one of his friends and contemporaries to make it out of Winter Haven, or to make music history, for that matter. “SPIDERS AND SNAKES” & JIM STAFFORD “If you don’t know it – practice, practice, practice. That’s what I did when I was a kid. All the other boys would be out practicing football, but I practiced the guitar, and I’m glad I did because it paid off… I can kick this guitar 60 yards,” Jim Stafford said to a roar of laughter from the audience during an appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In another performance, jokes are peppered between flinger-blurring licks of “Malaguena” and “Flight of the Bumblebee” with giggles and applause in no short supply. A renaissance man, if ever there was one, Stafford is a maestro of hair-raising guitar picking and side-splitting comedy routines. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he plays fiddle, piano, banjo, organ, and harmonica. However, Stafford’s main instrument remains his trusty guitar. “I was really serious about the guitar,” Stafford said, “and I still am.” His musical career began at his home in Eloise. He can still remember his neighbor and friend Wayne Simmons getting a beautiful red guitar from his brother, who’d brought it back from Germany. The two would play together – Stafford on his dad’s guitar. Wayne Simmons would go on to write the song “Gibson Girl” on the Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed album, Sneakin’ Around. He may have joked around about practicing, but it was something he did religiously. Stafford kept a guitar on hand at Quality Cleaners, the family dry cleaning business, in Eloise, where he worked for his dad. He learned to read music from Jim Carlton’s father, Ben, at their family music store, Carlton Music Center. “I wanted to learn how to read music, and Ben Carlton was a studio musician, a quality musician who came to Florida with a band,” he said. Stafford’s intuition on the guitar and drive to practice earned the admiration of his peers. Even guitar teacher Ben Carlton was in awe of the young musician. Jim Carlton remembered that his dad didn’t particularly have the time or want to teach, but he made an exception for Stafford. “He saw that Jim Stafford was such a talented kid he couldn’t help himself,” Jim Carlton said. “In fact, he didn’t even charge money for the first several lessons.” Stafford was in a few garage bands with other young Polk County musicians of the ‘60s, including several iterations of the Legends. Kids like Gram Parsons and Jim Carlton looked up to Stafford. “He was our avuncular older brother,” said Carlton. In Calling Me Home author Bob Kealing refers to these Polk County musicians whom Gram “befriended and benefited from” as “a constellation of singers, songwriters, and entertainers on the rise.” The self-effacing Stafford was but one of the stars in that mellifluous constellation of charisma and knack. He reflected on his garage band days, “Sometimes we’d be playing with a couple of guys from Auburndale, a couple of guys from Winter Haven. There were some good people over there.” He tipped his hat to the talent of Bobby Braddock as well as Carl Chambers, calling his song “Close Enough to Perfect,” “one of the best country songs I’ve ever heard.” In high school, Stafford and his buddies would often rehearse in his living room, and on Friday and Saturday nights, they’d load into someone’s car or Gram’s VW bus to play a Central Florida teen center. Back then, Stafford said, “I could play guitar alright, and a couple of the guys in the band would sing. It wasn’t the kind of band that we got together often and worked up complex arrangements or any of that kind of stuff. […] It was almost like kids pretending to be a band.” Playing in bands was fun for Stafford, but he was more interested in being an entertainer than a rockstar. He often went to Christy’s Sundown Restaurant in Winter Haven to watch piano bar comics. “They’re fellas who sit at a piano, and they talk to the audience and sing songs and tell jokes,” he said. One of his favorites was Tampa-based comedian Pat Henry. A young Jim Stafford would pick up the piano comics’ souvenir albums and listen to them again and again. “I learned quite a bit about how to talk to an audience, how to tell a joke, how to play a song they might like, how to get them to sing along – all of the things I could possibly learn about being an entertaining guitar comic. I guess that might have been what I was,” he said. Stafford said he worked much harder afterward on becoming a single act. “I was always trying to write songs and jokes.” He thought if he could entertain, tell a few jokes, and play his guitar well, he might be able to make a living playing bars and restaurants and lounges. “That’s when I put my guitar in the back of my dad’s cleaning truck and drove out to the Dundee Holiday Inn and got a job playing with my guitar. I really never looked back after that,” he said. Time spent performing at bars and hotel lounges sharpened Stafford’s comedic and musical abilities. “The perfect thing for me was to find places where I could work just about every night of the week so I could try my material.” Stafford would record his performances and listen back to his delivery to make adjustments.“My guitar playing was pretty good, and I worked on funny songs because I wasn’t much of a singer, so I thought I’d just do these little talking songs.” In 1974, Stafford would release a song he wrote called “Swamp Witch” on his self-titled album, co-produced by another Winter Haven native, Kent ‘Lobo’ LaVoie. The single would spend one week on the U.S. top 40 charts, peaking at No. 39. Stafford followed this ‘moderate’ chart success with his version of David Bellamy’s, “Spiders and Snakes,” which he re-wrote in the bedroom of his childhood home in Inwood. The song was a hit. “That’s a simple song, but I worked on it for quite a while because I knew there was something catchy about it,” he said. That song, which he would perform in 1976 alongside Dolly Parton on her nationally syndicated television show, went on to chart at No. 3 and sell 2.5 million copies. Stafford credits “Spiders and Snakes” for launching him onto stages across Reno and Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, opening for musical icons from Bruce Springsteen and the Earl Scruggs Revue to Ike and Tina Turner. “Looking back on it, it was thrilling because I started off in these little lounges, trying to write songs and do funny things and play the guitar as good as I could,” he said. “I kept at it and kept at it and got good enough to attract the attention of record people. Next thing I know, I had some records that did very well and moved out to LA.” The “Spiders and Snakes” songsmith’s talents weren’t relegated to music and comedy. “Whenever there was some aspect of entertainment that I could get my hands on or figure out how to do myself, I would do it,” he said. Stafford had quite a few film roles over the years, including Any Which Way You Can (1980) starring Clint Eastwood (for which he wrote the song “Cow Patti’’), cult horror-comedy Blood Suckers from Outer Space (1984), Kid Colter (1984), Gordy (1994), and guest appearances in television series The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Stafford made 26 appearances on The Tonight Show and hosted the ABC summer variety series The Jim Stafford Show as well as Those Amazing Animals with co-hosts Burgess Meredith and Priscilla Presley. In 1990 Stafford opened The Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson, Missouri, where he brought in other first-rate musical acts and serenaded, wise-cracked, and played some of his greatest hits like “My Girl Bill” and “Wildwood Weed” to crowds for decades. He continues to do live performances, shining on audiences across the Sunshine State. AN AUBURNDALE RAMBLIN’ MAN Born on the naval base at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, Les Dudek moved to Auburndale, Florida, the year he turned seven. For Dudek, the move was marked by Buddy Holly’s plane crash. “That’s all I heard on my little nine-volt transistor radio,” he said. Orange blossoms, pine trees, and guitar chords made up the ethos of Dudek’s upbringing in the south. He remembers trips to Carlton Music and getting out of school to smudge pot orange groves when temperatures threatened to drop. His sister was about four years older than Les. “She was always up on the latest and greatest” when it came to music, he said. He’d hear what she was listening to through their bedroom walls. As a result, Dudek was raised on a steady diet of Elvis Presley and the Beach Boys. As her musical tastes shifted towards the “Stupid Cupid” and “Lipstick on Your Collar” pop songstress Connie Francis, Dudek drifted to the guitar-heavy sounds of the Ventures and the unequaled songwriting and harmonies of the Everly Brothers and the Beatles. The British Invasion gifted Les with the Who, the Rolling Stones, and Cream. By then, music was heavy on his mind. “I was about ten years old when I got the guitar bug,” Dudek said. He still has his first twenty-dollar 1965 Silvertone 604 acoustic guitar hanging on his wall. Disaster struck when he attempted to tune it for the first time. “I was turning the keys too high until I popped the string, and I thought it was the end of the world.” It turned out to be an easy fix. Taylor’s Drug Store in Auburndale stocked Black Diamond guitar strings right behind the counter. His first electric guitar was a Silvertone 1446L hollow-body. It had black and white trim, reminiscent of the Gretsch Country Gentleman that Beatle George Harrison played. Dudek had spotted it in a Sears and Roebuck catalog and had to have it. It was a Christmas gift from his parents that year. “I have a picture of my mom and me on Christmas morning with that guitar – it’s a fond picture,” he said. The future guitar great eventually discovered Carlton Music Center, a music mecca of 1960s Polk County. “I can remember hanging out at Carlton Music Center, running into Gram Parsons and Jim Stafford, Jon Corneal. We were all kind of a product of music back in those days.” Later he’d go to other Florida music stores like Thoroughbred Music in Tampa and the Music Mart in Orlando, where he got a sunburst Mosrite Ventures electric guitar. He remembers showing it off to Carl Chambers. When Chambers leaned down to look at it, a Zippo lighter tumbled from his pocket. “It was like slow motion, how it drifted all the way down my guitar and put a big dent in it,” he said. Chambers felt terrible, but there was no harm done, Dudek was able to trade it out for a black one. Les would go on to do the same to Jim Carlton’s bass with his belt buckle. Jim still teases him about it. The first band Dudek played with was a group of other local boys. “I don’t even think we put a name on it. It was just a bunch of kids in the neighborhood,” he said. Ricky Erickson was on lead vocals with Butch Buchanan on lead guitar, Rick Burnett on drums, and Gerald Enfinger on bass. He referred to this group as the ‘Marjorie Avenue Bunch.’ Erickson’s mother was the manager for the Dale Drive-In, where the boys would rehearse in the concession stand. A man walked up to the boys at the drive-in one day and said, ‘Hey! How’d you guys like to make some money doing that?’ He owned a trailer sales business next to what was Club 92. “The guy wanted us to set up in front of his trailer sales so we would attract people coming and going by the freeway there,” Dudek said. “He paid us each five bucks – that was our first gig.” The young guitarist graduated to another band, the Steppin’ Stones, with David Shoemate on drums, Chuck Corneal (brother of drummer Jon Corneal and former mayor of Auburndale) on guitar, Butch Buchanan on lead guitar, and Dudek on bass. He hopped out of the Steppin’ Stones into United Sounds, a ‘mirror image band’ of another Auburndale garage band turned legends – Ron and the Starfires. Dudek’s first mentor was an original member of United Sounds, Mitchell Smith. He would go watch Smith play with the band at the Auburndale teen center. After the show, Smith would show him things on the guitar and eventually taught him how to play “Johnny B. Goode” on his 1964 white SG Custom. Carl Chambers was another local musician he looked up to. Dudek would skip school, pick up cheeseburgers from Taylor’s Drug Store, and show up at Chambers’ house. “I’d trade him burgers for some guitar licks,” he said. The Polk County music scene was like a game of musical chairs with young musicians changing bands, forming new ones, and joining established ones – and Les was no different. “We were kids forming bands and playing teen centers and frat houses,” he said. “It was better than doing anything else criminal.” However, they would occasionally steal colored flood lights from motels to illuminate their band. They had a makeshift light bar where they’d screw in their freshly lifted flood lights. After the Derry Down moved to Cypress Gardens Boulevard, the original building became the Pied Piper for a time. Les remembers playing the Pied Piper. The building had no air conditioning. “I remember it being a hot box,” he said. The last time he saw Gram Parsons was outside the Pied Piper. “I could tell from the way he was looking at the Derry Down he was kind of reminiscing what it was like when it was his place,” he said. Les, some six years Gram’s junior, struck up a conversation with the older musician. Dudek moved on from the United Sounds to Blue Truth, followed by the third or fourth iteration of the band Power, playing high school dances, frat houses, and the Florida teen center circuit that was white-hot with rising stars. Back in the day, Florida “was like the east coast version of California, but not quite as hip yet,” he said. Following Duane Allman’s death in a 1971 motorcycle crash, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, Dickey Betts, called on Dudek to play with him. Eventually, Betts and Dudek linked back up with the Allman Brothers Band, and Les played guitar for their hit song, “Ramblin’ Man.” He co-wrote and played some acoustic guitar on the song “Jessica” for the same 1973 Allman Brothers Band album, Brothers and Sisters. The success of “Ramblin’ Man,” which ascended to No. 2 on the Billboard charts, ignited Dudek’s career. Dudek thinks back on that night in front of the Pied Piper occasionally. “I wonder if Gram got a chance to hear me play on “Ramblin’ Man” before he died.” The single was released in August 1973, and Gram died in September. In 1973, Dudek met Boz Scaggs and went on tour with him for about five years, later playing on his 1976 album, Silk Degrees. At the end of their The Joker tour, the Steve Miller Band tapped Dudek to work with them in Seattle. There, the band and Dudek cut songs that would end up on albums Fly Like an Eagle, Book of Dreams, and Living in the 20th Century. The Steve Miller Band even covered the song “Sacrifice,” which Dudek had co-written with guitarist James Curley Cooke. “Sacrifice” made it onto the Book of Dreams album and Dudek’s first solo self-titled album, produced by Boz Scaggs and released on Columbia Records in 1976. This wouldn’t be the last of his songwriting successes either. Dudek co-wrote “Sister Honey” with Stevie Nicks for her 1985 Rock a Little album. The two also co-wrote the song “Freestyle” together, which Dudek would go on to name his 2003 solo record with E Flat Productions. While living in California circa-early-70s, another offer would come Dudek’s way. Manager and musician Herbie Herbert approached the guitarist about a new band he was forming. Herbert told Dudek, ‘I want to get the two guitar heroes from the San Francisco Bay area to be in the same band.’ Dudek thanked him for the compliment and asked who the other guitar player was. It was none other than Neal Schon, guitarist, for Santana, along with bassist Ross Valory. Dudek was set to meet the other would-be members at a rehearsal hall called Studio Instrument Rental in San Francisco. He received a call from Columbia Records’ A&R department requesting a meeting at one of their studios which happened to be right across the street from the rehearsal hall. “I was going to be on that side of town anyway that day rehearsing with this new band called Journey,” he said. Two hours into the Journey jam sesh, Dudek stepped across the street to take the meeting with Columbia Records. He was offered a solo deal on the spot. Weighing his options, Dudek decided to go solo. He laughed, recounting the story, “It turns out I was one of the founding members of Journey for about two hours.” Following his debut album, Dudek worked on Say No More with audio engineer and record producer Bruce Botnick, famous for his work with the Doors, the Beach Boys, and Eddie Money. This era of Dudek’s career garnered him offers from various artists and bands, including the band Chicago after the 1978 death of member Terry Kath. The manager for Little Feat offered Dudek the job when Lowell George passed away in 1979. Around the same time, Bob Dylan and Eddie Money also sought out Dudek, but he was already immersed in his own projects. Dudek recorded five albums with Columbia – four solo and one with a band. In the late 70s, he linked up with Mike Finnigan and Jim Krueger. The two had been working with Dave Mason. Krueger wrote the song “We Just Disagree” for Mason. Their band would be called the Dudek, Finnigan, and Krueger Band (DFK). The promotion for this band was a bit ‘ass backward,’ as Dudek would say. Instead of cutting a record together and touring to promote it, the three were each promoting their solo albums. “It was really a confusing thing for the audience,” he said. DFK did go on tour with Kansas for about four months and worked with artists like Kenny Loggins and Dave Mason. “Then we got the bright idea – why don’t we do a DFK album,” Dudek said. The Dudek, Finnigan, and Krueger Band released their first and only self-titled album with Columbia Records in 1980. While on hiatus with DFK, after he’d cut his third record, Gypsy Ride, Dudek got a call to go to an audition for Cher. The Goddess of Pop was looking to start a rock band called Black Rose. DFK’s Mike Finnigan turned up at the auditions along with Steven Stills of supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young fame. “We turned it into a big jam session,” Dudek remembered. After the auditions, Cher invited them all for dinner at Nick’s Fishmarket in Beverly Hills. She asked Dudek if he was serious about helping her start a band. Sure, he told her. “I wasn’t doing anything else.” Les Dudek became the Black Rose band leader and recommended esteemed composer James Newton Howard, whom he had worked with on the DFK album, to produce the Black Rose record. In the interim, Cher and Les (or LD as she sometimes called him) began dating. “We had already been dating, and she said, ‘LD, why don’t you just move in?’” Dudek said. He lived with her for the better part of three years. Dudek named the founder and president of Casablanca Records Neil Bogart as the short-lived band’s biggest champion. Black Rose would release one self-titled album in 1980, appear on The Merv Griffin Show, and host The Midnight Special alongside the Rolling Stones and the Everly Brothers the same year. Cher also appeared on Tom Snyder’s Celebrity Spotlight to promote the record. Black Rose wilted following Bogart’s death and Dudek and Cher’s breakup in 1982. According to Dudek, he encouraged Cher to pursue acting post-Black Rose. A few years after parting company, she called him up and said, ‘Hey Les, I’m doing a new movie, and they’re looking for a guy that’s got long hair, sings, plays guitar, and rides a motorcycle. Do you know anybody like that?’ That’s how Les Dudek got his first film role as Bone in director Peter Bogdanovich’s 1985 movie, Mask. Dudek followed that up with a television movie, Streets of Justice, released the same year. The highly sought-after southern rock guitar god continued to tour around Europe and the United States in the 1990s. He released three albums through his own record label, E Flat Productions, including Deeper Shades of Blues in 2001, Freestyle in 2003, and Delta Breeze in 2013. He still tours around Florida, including appearances at Gram Parsons Derry Down. NUDIE SUITS IN NASHVILLE “All I wanted to do was play drums,” said The Legendary Jon Corneal, pioneer of country rock drumming. He started as a little boy from Auburndale who hated playing the baritone his parents rented him for ten dollars a year. When he was four, Corneal’s ‘momma’ took him to watch the Winter Haven High School Marching Band. He told her then that he wanted to play the ‘dwums.’ (This was before he’d taken three years of speech therapy.) “I ruined a lot of furniture with knives or forks beating on it,” he said. Corneal told his parents that if they’d permit him to play drums, they could save their ten dollars a year because he’d buy his own. The Corneals relented, perhaps more to save their furniture and silverware than the money. Jon’s father owned a lumberyard, and the family lived in a spacious brick Tudor-style home on Lake Juliana, built in 1925. “It’s as nice as any Snively house,” he said. Corneal had his own garage apartment when he was twelve. When the decision was made to drop his baritone and pick up drum sticks, Corneal had to return to the beginner band. His band director, Mr. Miller, would take Jon from Auburndale Junior High to Auburndale Primary School in his 1956 Chevrolet. He started all over with drums, but within a month or two, Corneal had caught up and returned to the intermediate band at the junior high. Though he learned how to read music, Corneal didn’t put too much stock in it. He mentioned a line by The Country Gentleman, Chet Atkins, who once said when asked if he read music, “I do, but not enough to hurt my playing.” Jon set up a drum kit to practice in his apartment above the garage of the Corneal home. When he wasn’t working for his father at the lumberyard, a young Jon Corneal played that drum kit with zeal, practicing until 10 pm on school nights, prompting his mother to beat on the garage ceiling with a shovel and yell, ‘You got school tomorrow, you need to quit!’ Later, when Corneal played with the Legends, they’d occasionally practice in that garage apartment. “We’d either rehearse at my place or in Gram’s room,” he said. Before joining the Legends with Gram and the gang, Corneal was in a band called the Dynamics alongside Carl and Gerald Chambers. The Dynamics, like most garage bands of the era, would add and change members, including Bobby Braddock, Aaron Hancock, Buddie Canova, Randy Green, and Billy Joe Chambers. The band would travel to play at different Central Florida teen centers. “My momma would let me borrow her Oldsmobile. […] You could put all the drums and all our gear in the Olds because they were big cars, so that was real handy.” Corneal remembered taking his mother’s Olds to a show in Kissimmee where each boy earned $10. “We were happy to get it, boy. We were making that money,” he chuckled. “Those were the days.” His days in the Dynamics were numbered when Gram Parsons scouted him at the Auburndale municipality building. “That’s where we were rehearsing that afternoon,” Corneal said. “He liked Gerald [“Jesse” Chambers] and my playing, and he needed to replace a bass player and a drummer, so he got our numbers.” Gram called up Chambers and Corneal, and they met up and “started running some tunes together.” In 1962, Chambers and Corneal officially became Legends with Jim Stafford on lead guitar and Gram Parsons on keyboards, guitar, and vocals. One appeal Gram had for Corneal was his ability to secure paid bookings for the band like that horse show banquet, where the Legends played in the ballroom of the Haven Hotel. That year between the banquet, Christmas parties, and New Year’s Eve gigs, the boys made more than a little scratch. “Growing up in Auburndale, the coaches hated musicians. If you were a musician, you were so less than – way, way down low on the totem,” he said. When they returned to school following the holidays, the coach started giving him grief. Corneal laughed as he told the story. “I said, ‘Hey coach! How much money did you make last week?’ He wouldn’t tell me. I said, ‘Well, if you didn’t make $300, I made more than you did.’ And he never called me a sissy again.” Corneal appeared on WFLA channel 8’s, Hi-Time with the Dynamics and later with the Legends, winning Hi-Time’s Band of the Year. In early July 1964, fresh out of high school, a 17-year-old Jon Corneal and Eloise guitarist Jim Stafford put Polk County in the rear view, pulling a 13-foot Scotty camper. A few days later, they pulled into an RV park, spot E15, Corneal still remembers, in Nashville, Tennessee. The two would eventually split company to pursue their individual entertainment aspirations. One of Corneal’s Nashville neighbors, bass player for Flatt and Scruggs and The Foggy Mountain Boys, Jake Tullock, lent him the money to join a musician’s union that August. Most of the country acts of the time didn’t care for Corneal’s brand of drumming. He referred to himself as a ‘fancy solo drummer’ in addition to the group work he played. “When I played with the Legends, I’d do a ten-minute drum solo, and they’d all leave the bandstand,” he said. The newly-graduated teenager was often surrounded by artists twice his age in the Music City. “They’d turn to me and say, ‘Keep it country boy, keep it country! Stick and a brush!’ You never told a rock and roll drummer not to play with two sticks,” he said. “I decided if that’s all I could do, I’d learn how to keep time that was better than a metronome. I learned where the pocket is, for sure.” In 1965, Corneal got the part of a drummer in the Nashville musical film, Music City U.S.A. (1966). According to Corneal, he got fellow Auburndale native and Dynamics bandmate Bobby Braddock a part playing piano for the movie. Corneal said, “He told the makeup lady to just do the back of his ears because they had him playing an upright piano, and he wasn’t facing the camera. I thought that was funny.” It was through Music City U.S.A. that Corneal met country music duo the Wilburn Brothers and legendary singer-songwriter and future Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Loretta Lynn, who were featured stars in the film. The former would go on to offer Corneal a job, and he spent the whole of 1966 as the drummer for the Wilburn Brothers. The band was in high demand, packing out the most prominent music halls, theaters, and auditoriums throughout Texas and the southeast. “Back then, they’d still turn 2,000 [people] away,” Corneal said. The Wilburn Brothers played with Loretta Lynn plenty around this time as she was signed with their agency, the Wil-Helm Agency. “Back then, she had her own band, so we backed her up on a lot of shows.” Describing her with a drawn-out emphasis as ‘cooooun-try,’ he added, “She was a darlin’ – she was the sweetest thing.” That year, Corneal played on Lynn’s Christmas album, Country Christmas. So, there he was, on the road playing with some of the best country musicians of the time. “But I was frustrated,” he said. “When I’d come home, I’d borrow a guitar and start writing songs, working on my singing more and more.” In 1966, Corneal saved up the $100 per week salary he was making with the Wilburn Brothers to book other musicians and record five of the songs he had written at Bradley’s Barn in Nashville. That was his seminal country rock session. His country rock roots and connection to former bandmate Gram Parsons would soon bring him to the glitz and grit of Los Angeles. Every so often, Corneal, a true-blue Florida boy, would head south to the Sunshine State to drive the old dirt roads. “I used to come home to smell the orange blossoms,” he said. During one 1967 trip home, Gram was also in town from California, where he’d been pursuing music post-Harvard. He asked Corneal to come over so he could play him some new music he’d discovered. On a Robert’s reel-to-reel recorder, Gram played Jon a compilation tape he’d made with the country croonings of Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Loretta Lynn. It was surprising to Jon that Gram had ‘discovered’ this sound. “I’d been playing it for a couple of years already and making records and playing on people’s recordings […] making a living playing music,” Corneal said. The spring prior, Corneal said Gram had given him a hard time about the country music he was playing. “He had this attitude about me playing country. People in rock and roll didn’t like country, thought it was less than.” Gram would reproachfully ask Corneal, ‘What are you doing playing that country?’ “That’s where the work was, and that’s why I took it,” Corneal confessed. “I went up there [to Nashville] hoping I could get with the Everly Brothers or Roy Orbison.” On the same trip home, Gram asked Jon to join the International Submarine Band in California with the agreement that Jon could sing and play some of his songs. “They flew me out first class, so I got steak and lobster and champagne twice – out of Tampa and out of New Orleans. I was feeling no pain when I got there,” Corneal said, smiling. Los Angeles would prove a big shock for this southern Bibleraised Boy Scout. One morning Gram invited Jon over to actor Peter Fonda’s house for a swim. Sure, he’d go, he said. “As it turned out, I was the only one that had a bathing suit. […] I’d never seen anything like it.” Asked if he’d slipped off his skivvies to join in on the skinning dipping, Jon said in his unhurried southern drawl, “No, ma’am, I didn’t take it off.” As it would turn out, Gram’s promise to give Corneal some time out front remained unfulfilled. A fight over this prompted Corneal to part ways with the International Submarine Band – that ship had sunk, and Corneal was stranded. LA proved a hard place to adapt for Corneal, who described the city as ‘a different world.’ “There was a few years of struggle there.” Corneal would go on to record percussion for the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, with his name listed alongside drummer Kevin Kelley in the album credits. Less than two years after playing with the International Submarine Band, Corneal would answer Gram’s call again, this time to play with his band following the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers. After arriving in California, Corneal would hop from Gram’s couch to ‘Burrito Manor.’ The first Flying Burrito Brothers album, The Gilded Palace of Sin, features Corneal’s percussion on five songs. He left the band shortly after recording the album and returned to Nashville. He still has the Nudie suit to show for his time with the Flying Burrito Brothers. “We went to Nudie’s and got measured. I told him I wanted a red suit with an Edwardian collar, with palm trees and all kinds of rhinestones, gold alligators, and on the back was a riverboat,” he said. These rodeo and rhinestone Nudie suits were designed by Nudie Cohn, founder of Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors in North Hollywood. Elvis, Gram, Dolly, Porter, Buck, Cher, Sly – Nudie suits have been the flashy regalia of country-western and pop culture royalty, then and since. Corneal must have felt like the picture of snaz, rhinestones reflecting in infinite directions. “That’s the magic of those things. When you walk out on stage wearing those things, you’re like more than human. There’s something extra going on there. It’s so showbiz-y, it ain’t even funny.” Earlier this year, in February, Corneal’s friend and Derry Down Project champion Gene Owen accompanied him to Nashville to deliver the garments to the Country Music Hall of Fame to be included in a future exhibit at the museum. The official loan document lists: “Nudie costume jacket with submarine imagery plus nudie jacket with riverboat imagery and accompanying pants worn by Jon Corneal.” The Nudie jacket with submarine imagery was Gram’s from the International Submarine Band, worn during a cameo in The Trip (1967) starring Peter Fonda. Gram gave it to Corneal in 1972 when the percussionist drove to LA to fill in during rehearsals for Gram’s band, the Fallen Angels. “We don’t often in our lives get treated special,” Corneal said of his time delivering his Nudie suit and sitting for an interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame. “But they treated us special.” In addition to the loan of garments, Corneal is contingent on making appearances at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Following his work with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Corneal played on Warren Zevon’s Wanted Dead or Alive album and then with ex-Byrd Gene Clark in the band Dillard & Clark on their second LP, Through the Morning, Through the Night. He went on to tour and record with the Glaser Brothers and eventually broke out on his own in 1973, releasing Jon Corneal & the Orange Blossom Special in 1974. He has performed around Florida in his group Limousine Cowboys and for some 30 years with his wife in their act, the Jon & Debbie Corneal Show. “I dreamed about being a star and having my own bus and playing all these places on my own instead of working behind the star,” Corneal said. “I’ve had all kinds of people standing in front of me, doing their thing, and I’m just back in the back playing the drums, wishing I could be upfront singing.” Now, every Friday at ‘high noon’ at Hillcrest Coffee in Lakeland, The Legendary Jon Corneal and His Compadres play a live two-hour set in which Jon sits front and center. They live stream with people tuning in from all over the world to see a world-class band, headed up by Corneal on drums and rhythm guitar, improvise a set of classics and original music. “I always tell people, his recordings, yeah, they’re pretty damn good, but you’ve got to come see him,” Gene Owen said. Jon’s Compadres are a floating cast with a nucleus of regular players. “We have patrons that have been faithfully contributing and supportive. It kind of amazes me,” Corneal said. He may have been a ‘road dog’ as a young man, but Corneal is glad to have a home base in Hillcrest Coffee. “Having a place to play once a week and not having to travel is pretty neat.” The country rock drummer recorded his most recent album, High Country, in 2019. The record is a mix of American classics and Corneal’s original music. The first song on that album, “Used To Do,” was a rendition of one of Corneal’s 1965 formative country rock recordings. On the album’s inside cover, Jon thanks many people, including pal Gene Owen, Compadre Buster Cousins, wife Debbie, “Brian Goding, and all my friends and family at Hillcrest Coffee,” and “my Lord and Savior who has given me the way.” In addition to his Friday concerts with the Compadres, Corneal hosts a weekly Bible study at the Lakeland coffee shop. A former Legend, now legendary, Jon Corneal continues to make music. At 75, his drumming is still meticulously in-time – ‘better than a metronome.’ When he catches a show at the Derry Down, he’ll graciously regale Gram fans with stories about the cosmic icon, also inviting them to see him play sometime. Between his appearances at the Derry Down, Hillcrest Coffee, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the ubiquity of social media, the pioneer of country rock drumming said, “Finally, people are starting to figure out my contribution.” SAVING THE DERRY DOWN In 1964 Gram Parsons would open a teen club in a little building on Winter Haven’s Fifth Street. By 2012, the defunct Derry Down had become a warehouse lost to time. The relic of Polk County’s musical paramount was in disrepair and being used for storage. Not everyone had forgotten it, though. The convergence of an author, a persistent Gram fan, a nonprofit, a private developer, and the Winter Haven community would save this cultural landmark in the eleventh hour. Ten years ago, Bob Kealing released his book, Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock. The author, an Edward R. Murrow and four-time Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist, is no stranger to writing about Florida figures and history – it’s kind of his thing. “My raison d’être is preDisney history. When I got here 30 years ago, I really started to bristle at this notion that Central Florida has no history or culture that predates Walt Disney,” he said. In the mid-nineties working as a freelance writer and reporter with the Orlando NBC television affiliate, Kealing began investigating novelist Jack Kerouac. He learned about a thendilapidated Orlando cottage Kerouac shared with his mother in 1957 and 1958. In 1997, Kealing penned a four-thousand-word article about the cottage for The Orlando Sentinel, sparking what would become the Kerouac Project. An all but forgotten abode twenty-something years ago, the Kerouac house is now a fully restored home on the National Register of Historic Places. An ongoing writers-in-residence program is hosted there. In 2004, Kealing published the book Kerouac in Florida: Where the Road Ends. Throughout the four-and-half-year process of researching and writing Calling Me Home, Kealing traveled from Waycross to Winter Haven, visiting sites relevant to Gram’s story. He interviewed Gram’s best friend, Jim Carlton, for an early background on the country rock pioneer. “I’ll never forget Jim standing in Gram’s old room and just going, ‘Oh my God, the memories are just coming flooding back,’” Kealing said. It was the first time in 40 years Carlton had been back there. Kealing had heard about this Derry Down place – Gram’s old teen club. Carlton offered to show him where it was, just a minute or so walk from his family store, now owned by his cousin Glen, Carlton Music Center. The author looked through a side window of the derelict Derry Down. The building was in shambles and filled with junk. Looking inside “triggered a lot of memories” for Gram’s childhood friend. Carlton still had the reel-to-reel recordings he’d taken when the Derry Down opened in 1964. He shared those with Kealing too. An entire chapter is dedicated to Gram’s senior year and the opening of the Derry Down in Kealing’s book. Only a few paragraphs into that chapter, he wrote: It’s surprising there isn’t already a more permanent memorial here. For fans of cultural tourism, the corridor between Winter Haven, Auburndale, and Lakeland would be an ideal place to create some sort of tribute to all the musicians who called this area home in the 1960s. Kealing included a photo of the former Derry Down. The shabby warehouse was in rough shape and demolition seemed inevitable. The universe must have read that passage loud and clear. Certainly, self-described mega-Gram fan and local music historian Gene Owen did. “I think Gene Owen was an important catalyst in bringing all of it together,” Kealing said. In August 1968, Owen bought the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo record. He put it on the turntable at his Lakeland home, and by the end of the fifth song, “You’re Still on My Mind,” Owen was a Parsons devotee. “It was like something from outer space to me,” Owen said – an apt description of Parsons’s Cosmic American Music. “I just got chills even thinking about that day.” He had no idea that Parsons grew up not 15 miles from there. Owen would also get a chance to look in the Derry Down by way of former Legends drummer, Jon Corneal. The two met in 1977 when Owen and a friend were driving along Highway 92 in Lakeland and spotted a sign promoting a show for Jon Corneal and the Limousine Cowboys. Owen had seen Corneal’s name in the credits for Sweetheart of the Rodeo and The Gilded Palace of Sin and had to stop to see him play. Jon and the band were outside taking a break when they pulled up. The two got to talking and have been friends ever since, sharing an interest in music and cars. After that celestial experience listening to Gram, Owen consumed as much media and music related to the musician as existed. “I had read all the Gram books probably twice by the time Bob’s book came out,” he said. One day, after reading Bob Kealing’s book, Owen picked up Jon Corneal to show him a 1970 Mercedes sedan. Corneal got in the car, and Owen told him about the book and the Derry Down. Corneal knew right where it was – he’d already been there fortysomething years earlier. When they rolled up to the Fifth Street warehouse, the Cosmic American Music gods smiled down on them. A Six/Ten employee happened to be at the building. He shuffled through his ring of keys and let Owen and Corneal have a look inside. “I had out-ofbody travel, I swear,” Owen said. Around the same time, Six/Ten President and Secretary Kerry Wilson was on a bus, reading the book. Wilson later relayed to Kealing that he saw the warehouse and thought, ‘Wait a minute, we own that building!’ When Main Street Winter Haven Director, now President and CEO, Anita Strang caught wind of the Derry Down site, she rushed to The Shop to get a copy of the book. Motivated by the historical significance and potential of the Derry Down, Gene Owen reached out to Kealing. He asked the author to do a book signing in Winter Haven. Owen told Kealing, “Listen, there’s some pent-up demand for Gram in Winter Haven. You’ve got to know this.” The Calling Me Home author agreed, and Owen coordinated a book signing to be held on February 16, 2013, at the Winter Haven Public Library. Owen was right about the ‘pent-up demand for Gram’ as some 200 people packed into the library to hear Kealing, Jon Corneal, and Jim Carlton speak. A community that knew Gram, or grew up on his music and mythos, hung on every word. Main Street Winter Haven Director Anita Strang was there too. “The fact that there were so many people at that book signing was an indication that everybody thought, ‘Hey, we’ve got something here,’” Kealing said. After the signing, about half the crowd walked from the library to the Derry Down. “I was a little taken by how many people had come to this,” Strang said. A man walked up and asked if the building had a plug because he had something to play – it was Gram’s friend, Jim Carlton. In the dilapidated Fifth Street warehouse – attendees listened to a reel-to-reel recording of the Shilos performing during the 1964 opening day of the Derry Down. “You could hear this super sweet southern voice talking and playing,” Strang remembered. Standing by the door as people made their way through the building two at a time, she heard folks sharing their memories – a first kiss here or a dance over there. “It was really apparent that whatever this was, meant so much to people here,” she said. “Time goes by, maybe about a month, and then the visits start from Gene Owen.” “I’m a relentless kind of a character,” Owen said. He’d stuck his neck out already by inviting Kealing to speak. Members of the Chamber of Commerce, commissioners, and city officials had attended the book signing. He remembered thinking, “If this doesn’t happen, I’m going to have to move.” Owen wanted Strang to do something to preserve the Derry Down within her capacity as Main Street Winter Haven director, but her hands were tied. The building was privately owned. She encouraged Bob Kealing, who was also advocating to save the Derry Down, to set up a meeting with Six/Ten. Over lunch, he laid out a case for the building’s historical value and convinced them not to demolish it. Inspired by the idea of the Derry Down as an avenue for cultural tourism, Strang began digging further into Gram Parsons’s life and his ties to Winter Haven. She sought the guidance of state and national coordinators for Main Street to determine if this project was even within her organization’s scope. “I wanted to make sure, from the Main Street perspective, that this could benefit downtown in multiple ways, more than just saving this building and having a place for [Gram’s] legacy,” Strang said. “Could this become something good for our downtown?” Emphatically, yes was the answer from Main Street. It was worth the time and energy to save, but the building had to be donated. After negotiations between Main Street Winter Haven and Six/Ten, the acquisition proceeded. The building would be donated but deed-restricted for the use of music and music education, along with the ability to rent it out to offset costs. “We knew the current board understood all of this,” Strang said. “We were looking to protect the building long-term, to make sure that 10 or 15 years from now, that board of directors knew they had to use this building for the right reasons.” Around the time of the building’s donation, Strang remembers meeting with Kealing, who accompanied her to his first project, the Jack Kerouac House. The trip was motivating for Strang. The revived cottage was emblematic of the transformation that was about to take place on Fifth Street – what a vision of that magnitude realized could look like. The Derry Down Project commenced on June 20, 2014. It would take two-and-a-half years to restore Gram Parsons’s teen club to its 1964 glory. With the building donated and everyone united for the cause, it was time to start fundraising. It needed a lot of work. “Three of the trusses had fallen, and it was taking on water – the building was coming apart,” Strang said. The first dollars raised for the restoration weren’t even within the city. A Parsons fan from Atlanta caught wind of the project online and set up a fundraising show with multiple concerts to save the Derry Down. Strang attended the event. People from around the world would send amounts large and small. Strang remembered receiving a $10 donation from Thailand – a testament to Gram’s cosmic reach and impact. Main Street hosted a series of open houses, promotional events, fundraisers, and workdays to restore the historic site. The first big event was held on December 20, 2014, exactly 50 years from when a young Gram Parsons took the stage with the Shilos and sang “Big Country” and “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” on the Derry Down’s opening day. A stage was erected in the middle of Fifth Street where former Legends members Jon Corneal, Jim Carlton, and Jim Stafford performed as a group at the Derry Down for the first time ever. “King of Broken Hearts” singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale headlined the event. In 1985, Lauderdale moved to Los Angeles on a sort of Parsons pilgrimage. “I wanted to play at some of the same places, be in the atmosphere that he had been in, walk the streets he had walked, drive the roads he’d driven, and try to soak up more about him,” he said. Already aware of the Derry Down through reading various Gram biographies, when Lauderdale learned it was being restored, he jumped at the chance to be involved – another stop on that pilgrimage. The building wasn’t ready for show occupancy on that day in 2014, but Lauderdale got to peek inside. “For me, who’s such a huge fan of Gram’s, that just was so important to me to get to be in that space where he had performed,” he said. While Parsons’s contributions to music with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and as a solo artist are important, Lauderdale said, “It’s equally important to go back to the very early roots.” Winter Haven guitar genius Les Dudek also pitched in his musical talent, playing the Derry Down to raise money at various events. “When they got all excited about it, so did we. We were all, ‘Let’s save the Derry Down!’” he said. At the open houses and fundraisers, Strang dedicated a place for guests to write down their memories from the teen club. It was essential to the Main Street Winter Haven director to preserve the Derry Down – bones and soul – to collect these stories for posterity along with the building’s physical restoration. Strang has held onto these handwritten echoes from the sixties in a box for safe-keeping. Winter Haven photographer Mike Potthast produced a video featuring Bob Kealing, a musician who grew up with Gram, Jerry Mincey, and Anita Strang, summarizing the project for a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign, unfortunately, did not meet its goal, which meant the Derry Down Project received zero of the funds pledged. But, Main Street Winter Haven, Bob Kealing, Gene Owen, Six/Ten, and the community of Winter Haven pressed on. “When I say that building belongs to the community – it belongs to the community,” Strang said. She was stunned by the local business and individuals who offered up money, time, and resources. Gene Owen, a founding father of the Derry Down Project, said, “I’m heart warmed by the whole thing.” He couldn’t have predicted the community commitment to seeing the project come to fruition. While donations came in from around the world, the brunt of the time, love, and labor came from Gram’s hometown. Companies and organizations like New Electric, Whitehead Construction, Burns Flooring and Kitchen Design, SJMS Plumbing, Six/Ten, and the City of Winter Haven were wholly involved “head and heart” in the Derry Down Project. During the restoration, Strang pushed to preserve aspects of the original structure. Exterior lights were specially made to replicate the originals. The red interior paint color hadn’t been touched since the Derry Down opened. They were able to take a chip off the wall and color-match it. And Strang has that color on good authority – she talked to the man who painted it over a few beers, some weed, and gospel music with Parsons himself in 1964. The Derry Down was located next to the Gilmore Pontiac dealership in 1964. It had a life as a car shop after it was Gram’s teen club. According to the Main Street director, the central beam was used to hoist motors from cars, adding weight to the roof, which would need to be repaired, or, as was argued to Strang, replaced. “The wood roof – that is the character,” she said in opposition to replacing the original roof. The community stepped in yet again when Winter Haven company Mechanical Dynamics found a solution to save it. When all was said and done, over $160,000 was raised by the Main Street Winter Haven Board of Directors and the Derry Down Committee. In-kind labor and materials were estimated at $185,000. The Derry Down received a historical marker from the Florida Department of Historic Resources on November 5, 2015. Gram Parsons Derry Down opened with an official ribbon cutting on September 2, 2016. In 2017, Main Street Winter Haven was awarded the Outstanding Florida Main Street Rehabilitation Project from the Secretary of State for the Derry Down Project. Cherished Polk County musicians like Jim Stafford, Jim Carlton, Jon Corneal, Gerald “Jesse” Chambers, and Les Dudek have played at the Derry Down since its 2016 reopening, some multiple times. Other figures from Gram’s career have also made it a point to perform at the venue, like International Submarine Band bass player Ian Dunlop and Parsons’s songwriting partner in the Flying Burrito Brothers and Byrds bassist, Chris Hillman. Gene Owen described Hillman’s April 30, 2017, Derry Down appearance as a “tremendous, redemptive, rejoiceful day.” Multi-Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell has even taken the Derry Down stage. He worked closely with Emmylou Harris after Gram died. “Rodney being in the building was just ethereal,” Owen said. Kealing reflected, “These people – all out of Gram’s life and story – came there to play music. You had this wonderful feeling like a mission accomplished. We don’t get his musical legacy which had sort of been mired out in the desert.” Even Gram’s family has embraced this preservation of his Winter Haven legacy, including his sister. Daughter Polly Parsons and Gram’s granddaughter Harper “Lee” visited in March of this year. And that won’t be the end of Parsons VIPs who come to the Derry Down, vowed Owen. “Emmylou [Harris] and Keith [Richards] will walk through the door at the Derry Down one day. I’m telling you. We work really hard on things like that. We’ll have Emmylou in the next year for sure.” The Derry Down has become a regular haunt for Jim Lauderdale too. The “King of Broken Hearts” lyricist and 2014 fundraiser headliner has played Gram’s place quite a few times since it opened, a “highlight of my year and life” for the musician. “I get very emotional to be in that building, performing,” Lauderdale said. “I think people who are fans of Gram will share that feeling with me.” He even took the stage at a November 5, 2021, event celebrating Parsons’s 75th birthday, where he performed alongside the legendary Jon Corneal. “That was so touching to me to be on the stage with Jon. He just brought the house down,” Lauderdale said. Corneal was only going to play a song or two, but Lauderdale said, “I kept him up there because the crowd was going nuts. They loved him. For me and the fellas in the band – he’s a legend.” Lauderdale is thankful for this connection to Gram – a sentiment he said other artists who’ve played the historic venue share. “It sounds so great in there. It’s a very welcoming, warm, comfortable place to play and one of my favorite places to play – a place that I hope to keep going back to for the rest of my life, as long as they’ll have me.” The Derry Down has become a driver for cultural tourism in Winter Haven. Strang noted that an average of 40 percent of tickets are purchased outside the county. “It is that one thing that is really authentic to our downtown,” said the Main Street Winter Haven CEO, “It feels like a good anchor.” Those out-of-town concert-goers often shop, dine, and lodge in the city while they’re here. The building is proof that “History is alive, and it can be harnessed,” Kealing said, “and now the Derry Down is this key for economic redevelopment in the urban core of the city.” “It’s become a real hub. I think it’s been so important for Winter Haven,” Jim Carlton said. As for Kealing, whose reporting was inexpressibly pivotal in saving the Derry Down, he followed up his book on Parsons with Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire (2016) and Elvis Ignited: The Rise of an Icon in Florida (2017). His newest project, a book about the Beatles in 1964 Florida, is scheduled to release early next year. In addition to an abundance of transcripts, letters, and primary-source interviews, the book will delve into the band’s residency at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, where they performed to a live television audience of 70 million and wrote songs for their A Hard Day’s Night album. “I would argue it’s one of the top two or three Beatles landmarks in the United States,” said the author. The Deauville Hotel is slated for demolition, and in true Kealing fashion, he’s fighting to save it. Main Street Winter Haven has big plans for the Derry Down, including another Cosmic American Music Festival (or Cypress Exchange if Strang has her way). The latter name is in reference to Winter Haven’s downtown switchboard back in the day. The only hold on those plans is hotel capacity. A six-story, 108-room Staybridge Suites Hotel is currently under construction on Fifth Street and is expected to open in summer 2023. Around $33K is still owed for the renovation of the Derry Down, and Main Street Winter Haven welcomes donations. Commemorative engraved bricks are available for purchase. They pave the walkway to Gram’s Derry Down, bound in perpetuity to this piece of his legacy. As she looks toward the future, Strang said, “I want to brand and market [Winter Haven] in the future as a place for music. We’ve got so many stages.” From the Derry Down and Nora Mayo Hall to the Ritz Theatre, Jesse’s, Grove Roots Brewing, and the outdoor stage at Lake Silver, Strang envisions an event where attendees could go from venue to venue to enjoy live music. Ten years after Bob Kealing published his book, Gene Owen took a car ride with Jon Corneal, Kerry Wilson flipped the page to historic real estate, and Anita Strang overheard stories of dancing and first kisses – the Derry Down is alive again. The heart of this landmark Fifth Street listening room beats to the rhythm of Gram Parsons’s buddies and bandmates, to country stars who were and remain inspired by him, and up-and-coming musicians who just need a place to play, like Gram did. “Gram, like the greatest artists, writers, singers, put so much feeling into his music,” said Jim Lauderdale. “Consequently, I feel so much being in the Derry Down. […] It opens up my spirit.”

Whether underfoot as her mother played hymns and gospel piano, making a beeline towards the music anytime her rock-nroll father picked up a guitar, or sitting in on the bluegrass picking and singing of her grandad and his band of eight brothers – Van Plating has always been ‘home’ within a song. “My mom would say that I sang before I used coherent sentences,” Plating said. “It was just in my DNA, I think.” Plating has been touring on the heels of the release of her second solo album last fall. The Lakeland-based artist is already writing her third solo album, working toward completing three albums in three years. Radiant and effortless in a flowy white dress and black boots, Plating sat in her living room, overlooking her home studio as she discussed her roots, her favorite novelists, and her own storytelling. VAN’S MUSICAL DNA The indie-Americana solo artist has been a classically trained violinist and singer since childhood. Her instrumental repertoire now includes violin, viola, piano, keyboards, and electric guitar. In a 2021 interview during AmericanaFest in Nashville, Plating likened instruments to different colors on a song. Her favorite ‘color’ is her voice. “The voice is my obsession because that’s your vehicle for storytelling,” Plating said. Consumed with practicing, she focuses on technique and how her tone may emphasize the lyric. “If I let the vocal fall apart, I’m doing it on purpose. If I’m in falsetto, I’m doing it on purpose.” Storytelling is chief in Plating’s music. “My lyric writing is very inspired by contemporary American writers and novelists,” she noted. Plating ‘fills her well’ with writers like Wendell Berry, a Kentucky-based novelist, poet, conservationist, and farmer. “He has that very rooted-in-location and generational language to his work, but he’s also very profound,” she said of Berry. The works of Annie Dillard and Patti Smith also fill her bookshelves. “I’m re-reading [Smith’s] memoirs right now because I just love her. She’s gifted at taking what you would consider a mundane, everyday moment and making a book out of it.” Though Plating’s indie-Americana sound fits her like a good pair of jeans, her musical identity has been a journey. The path there wasn’t the same beeline she’d make for the sound of her dad’s guitar or her grandad’s bluegrass. At first, she hightailed away from that. “When I was younger, and I feel like a lot of us do this when you’re in your teens and twenties, you’re trying to do anything but what you grew up with. You want to get as far away from that as you can,” she said. “I wanted to run as far away as I could from bluegrass and folk music and anything my parents listened to.” She dug her heels into indie rock for a time, even playing bass for an emo band in the 90s and spending a few years of her twenties listening only to Scandinavian rock. It’s funny to think about now, she says. A relatable sentiment, Plating said her earlier music felt a bit like “forcing an identity.” That experimentation sticks with her. Plating’s current music forgoes rigidly following the traditional chord structure many Americana artists hold as gospel – not afraid to veer into a sound all hers. She’s made her way home. “That’s how I feel about Americana – I feel like I’ve come home. It makes sense for me to be here,” she said. “There’s so much beauty in taking a step back, examining your roots, and standing on that and pulling in other influences, but not trying to get rid of your DNA.” ON VULNERABILITY AND FINDING YOUR DANCE Her last record may be titled “The Way Down,” but it feels like an ascension. Plating’s vocals have an ethereal quality that makes her sound like a sort of Americana angel. Her second full solo album, “The Way Down,” was released last fall and co-produced with Bryan Elijah Smith, who played drums, electric guitar, bass and sang background vocals for the record. Plating wrote 50 songs that were paired down into a nine-track album. She and Smith recorded at his Shenandoah Valley studio over the course of a year. “He threw his heart into it,” Plating said of her co-producer, whom she called one of her dearest friends. “It’s an album about learning how to be okay with not being okay, learning how to find your dance while you’re in a low moment, learning to celebrate through hard times,” said Plating. Her favorite lyrics on “The Way Down” belong to the bridge in the song “Dirty Frame.” “It captures that arc of being a child and then being a mother, and there’s a vulnerability to that,” she said. A walk along the beach with her then 10-year-old daughter inspired the bridge. “She was just starting to explore those feelings […] of expectation, vulnerability, insecurity, ‘who am I?’ ‘what does it mean?’ And I was having a low day that day. She grabbed my hand while we were walking. We were having this moment of both not being okay but being together in it. That’s the whole feeling in that song.” I called my daughter She held my hand white like sugar On burning sand started singing through crooked teeth Found our fire On shaky knees “That’s my favorite lyric in the whole record because it means the most to me. You can’t grow up untouched by the world. You can’t grow up and avoid insecurity and hard things – you have to push into those things,” Plating said. “Me and my daughter, in that moment, that day, were pushing in together, both broken, both weak (her teeth aren’t as crooked as mine, but I thought it was a cool lyric), and just singing our song. I think that’s what my whole trajectory is about, just learning to sing your song because it’ll resonate if you’re being yourself. You don’t have to listen to only Norwegian metal.” JAMMING IN THE HOME STUDIO Plating now works out of her rose-red home studio, where she’s also begun producing for other artists. She recently wrapped up tracking on New York-based singer/songwriter liv.’s debut LP, which releases November 4, 2022, with singles preceding. The pair met through Plating’s “The Way Down” co-producer, Bryan Elijah Smith. Plating played at liv.’s outdoor COVID-safe musical festival in May of 2021. “I went up there and really hit it off with liv.,” she said. Although Plating’s home studio wasn’t entirely set up yet, she had liv. down from New York in January to collaborate. Plating laughed and said, “I had equipment showing up days before she got here. […] It was chaotic but so good.” Liv. traveled to Plating’s Lakeland studio twice, tracking sessions in January and May, with the producer even co-writing on the LP. “I love to co-write with people, so that was fulfilling and fun to be in it from when it was a skeleton, not even a full song. She comes in with lyrics and a melody, and then we create this whole architecture around it,” Plating said. Plating described it as different from anything on which you’ve yet heard her. Instead of starting “from the bottom up,” Plating said, “For her record, I wanted to try something different and start with her vocals. I would give her a little scratch guitar track, start with the vocal, and then base the whole interpretation of the song around her voice. What’s resulted is something very raw and organic. It’s not stripped-down at all, it’s fully produced, but it’s certainly a little edgier and a little less polished than things I’ve done before – very intentionally.” Lakeland’s Americana angel has been touring with stops around the south including the Gasparilla Music Festival, Gainesville, Nashville, and Austin. She’ll be playing at Seven C Music in St. Petersburg on June 8 – her last scheduled Florida performance until the fall, with dates to be announced. Toiling away on her third solo album, which will be entirely selfproduced, Plating hopes to have it tracked before AmericanaFest in September and release it next spring. “It’ll sound kind of live, a little grittier than what I’ve done before. It’ll be me, so it’ll be raw and colorful, and hopefully people will get it – we’ll see,” she said. Photograph by Amy Sexson Van Plating vanplating.com FB: Van Plating IG @vanplating Twitter @vanplating

In his 2000 memoir, “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft,” Stephen King calls books a “uniquely portable magic.” It seems only fitting to purchase such ‘portable magic’ in a bookshop of the same vein – perhaps we’ll call it ‘uniquely mobile magic.’ Little Bus Books is a mobile bookshop offering new and used books for middle grades, young adults, and adults. The family-owned and operated shop aims to provide “curated book selections based on broadening cultural perspectives through customers’ existing interests.” Michael and Lynsey Pippen met in college at Louisiana Tech University. After college, the two married and settled in Ruston, Louisiana. Five years ago, Michael’s job brought them to Florida, where he is now Director of Business Development for a global irrigation manufacturer. Lynsey is a speech therapist and special educator. She earned her doctorate in special education and taught at the college level before moving to the Sunshine State. When the Pippens adopted their sons, Nolan, age 12, and Luke, 13, ten years ago, she took her speech therapy online, where she continued to teach until last January. Moving to Lakeland, the Pippens liked the electricity crackling within the local small business scene and had in mind to be further immersed in it. “We had this idea of how we wanted to be a part of the community but didn’t really have a good business to do it with,” Michael said. The Pippens have always loved going to bookstores, especially on vacation when they could spend hours perusing the shelves. Each year, the couple travels to a different state to celebrate their anniversary – a tradition they’ve dubbed “50 states in 50 years.” During a 2020 trip to Kansas, their mobile bookshop dream began to take shape. A bookstore seemed a communitycentered endeavor that could forge the connections they were looking to make. “On the way home and over the next six months, we would just write down ideas, but never thinking, ‘this year,’” Lynsey said. As fate (and a call to the farmers market) would have it, Little Bus Books would indeed start within a year. BROADENING CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES Little Bus Books debuted on May 1, 2021, at the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market. “We started with a tent and a table and some of our favorite books,” Lynsey said. Friends and family donated books and came to shop to support Little Bus Books. “We said, ‘It’ll be a success when the first stranger buys a book,’” said Lynsey, who remains friends with that ‘first stranger.’ The mobile bookshop didn’t go on wheels until last October. They began looking for the perfect ‘bus’ to house Little Bus Books last summer when they stumbled upon a 1953 VaKaShunette camper trailer. “We were glad we did tent to table so we could figure out what fit best in the market spot,” said Lynsey. Michael agreed that they now had proof of concept and described selling out of the bus as “almost like a light switch came on.” Lynsey credits Michael, who has his M.B.A., with helping to get Little Bus Books off the ground, or rather, on the road. “His knowledge was the reason we were able to set up the business so quickly,” she said. Inside, the vintage camper gives way to a cozy book nook with a selection of reads curated by Lynsey Pippen. Though they love books, the Pippens wouldn’t describe themselves as voracious readers. “I think that helped to build our brand,” Lynsey said. “Everyone assumes that every bookseller reads every book they have in their bookstore.” That’s a lot of pressure for a wouldbe reader to ask some all-knowing word-wizard for a book recommendation. Little Bus Books makes the experience less intimidating with its smaller, tightly-curated offerings. Lynsey notes Little Bus Books isn’t for the “avid reader who knows exactly what they want to read.” She said, “We like to think of ourselves as helping you find the book you didn’t know you needed.” “I don’t know how she does it,” Michael said in awe of his wife. “Lynsey has a great style and a great eye.” Though he knew her vision for the bus would be a hit – both the style and substance – he wondered how and where they would find the right books for their selection, thinking a vast knowledge of books and literature was a must. “I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” he said. Curation soon revealed itself to be another of Lynsey’s gifts. Michael described Lynsey as a creative who enjoys being around people. “We’re not artists by any stretch of the imagination, but she has a very good eye for it,” he said. “That’s translated to the books, one hundred percent. She knows what people like.” “One of the biggest challenges is determining our audience before we get to the market,” said Lynsey. By frequenting markets like the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market, Bandit Market, Winter Haven Farmers Market, and Buena Market, the Pippens are learning what their customers like to read. Lynsey notes that determining eye-catching covers and riveting reads suited to her local customer base is ‘a fun challenge.’ Vacation was the only time the pair could spend hours browsing bookshelves for the perfect read. Everyday life didn’t afford them that. “That’s how we developed the Little Bus on a smaller scale, being more intentional about what we put in the bus rather than just having lots of books for people to dig through,” Lynsey said. Little Bus Books was developed with farmers markets and community events in mind. The Pippens aim not to overwhelm their customers with a daunting selection of books but to curate some 40-60 books and help steer customers toward texts most suited to their reading tastes. And for those who do like to dig through books, Lynsey welcomes them to rifle through the Little Bus Books cabinets and crannies, where they house inventory. Upon first inspection of Little Bus Books, one will notice the variety – new and used, fiction and nonfiction, genre, author, origin, and publication date. “That’s an intentional piece of the business, too,” Michael said. “We want to have everybody represented there. […] We’re trying to broaden cultural perspectives.” Michael used a book on hiking as an example of how they may help someone select a title within their tastes but perhaps outside of what they’re used to reading. “What is like that, but maybe the characters are a little different, or the author has a little different background, so she writes with a different perspective?” That doesn’t mean they don’t have a few good lazy beach reads or cozy mysteries on hand – because sometimes you just need a little brain candy. “We put stuff in there that we really love,” Michael said. “I like a lot of memoirs from famous people. I find that super entertaining. […] I probably try to get Lynsey to put too many memoirs in,” he smiled at his wife. “People have a lot of choice fatigue, and they like being able to go in there and grab anything off the shelf, and you’ll like all of it,” said Michael. “People don’t come in there and buy certain authors or certain books. The experience is what they’re buying, and we hope that everything in there, we’ve vetted enough that it’s all good.” BOOK CRAWL Some of the community connections the Pippens have made are with other local booksellers. “We like that there are numerous booksellers [in the area],” said Lynsey. The Little Bus Book cofounder likened it to a choice of coffee shop or lunch spot – each bringing a different experience to the table. Little Bus Books linked up with fellow Lakeland booksellers a few months ago for the first of what looks to be an annual book crawl. The 2022 Lakeland Book Crawl was held during the week leading up to Independent Bookstore Day (always the last Saturday in April) and involved Little Bus Books, Pressed, Inklings, Bookends Used Books, Crash Bookshop, and Unbound Bookery. According to Michael and Lynsey, the book crawl was a success. “Every bookstore, all week long, had above average across the board – in terms of response, activity on social media, and people coming in buying books,” said Michael. “Everybody did a really nice job focusing on what they did differently.” For their part in the weeklong event, Little Bus Books partnered with PACE Center for Girls. The mobile book shop had its highest sales ever – half of which went to help with the PACE Center for Girls’ library this summer – a nod to their nonprofit efforts. A FAMILY AFFAIR Little Bus Books is a family operation, and every co-founding member has a title. Chief content officer Lynsey “serves as the head organizer and reading researcher.” President Michael is more of a “behind the scenes guy.” Son Luke serves as operations manager, helping out with heavy lifting, but says his main job with the book shop “is to make sure all employees are happy and fed!” Communications director Nolan is described as a “social butterfly” and says his job is to “make sure that our customers get the attention they deserve!” Both Luke and Nolan have special needs. “One thing we wanted this business to be from the very beginning is something they could be a part of,” said Michael. Being market merchants provides the boys with variety in their perspective roles. From interacting with customers to cashing out purchases, the Pippens feel learning these skills is important and can translate into other opportunities for the boys. “I think we’re finding that there are two sets of people learning here,” said Lynsey of her sons and society at large. She notes that tending to the Little Bus at markets has “helped [her sons] with real-world experience.” The boys are paid for their work and choose how to spend (or save) their money. Foodie Nolan loves to buy treats from the market food vendors. Luke recently saved up for a ‘space jacket’ from the Kennedy Space Center. Both Nolan and Luke have high-functioning autism and interact with and experience the world differently. The social environment at the market has been to their benefit, said their parents. Extrovert Nolan has been able to experience independence, like going to the food truck by himself. The more reserved of the two, Luke has started greeting people at the markets, whereas he wouldn’t talk to strangers before. “I also think having our boys out there is teaching our society around us as well,” said Lynsey. “Having the boys out there shows people that they are human too. Someone may say something ‘weird,’ or you may not understand exactly what they said because they have some speech difficulties, but guess what – they live in your world too, and they’re right here in your community and your farmers market. [...] I think it not only helps our boys, it not only brings together our family, […] but it’s also helping our community to see that we include everybody.” NO COVERS “We really wanted to be part of the community,” said Michael. “Being mobile helped us move in the community to different demographics.” Not only did Little Bus Books want to pop up in hip and happening downtown spots, but they also wanted to serve a different audience. So, they began setting up shop at nonprofits like Talbot House, Gospel Village, and the Mission of Winter Haven. “You couldn’t really do that and have a brick and mortar in my mind,” Michael said of their mobile concept. The future of Little Bus Books will focus on its nonprofit initiatives. “We found how to connect within the community that we would typically connect with because we like that. We like going to the markets. And we’ve met a lot of diverse people there. […] We’ve had to work harder to get outside of those circles a little bit with some of our nonprofit initiatives.” The Pippens felt the demand for their services was higher outside their circle and asked themselves how they could bring the two together. The bridge between these two sides of the community is through their nonprofit initiative, No Covers. The name is apt and intentional – a play on the idiom “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and on ‘no cover’ as in ‘free of charge.’ Little Bus Books has partnered with six area nonprofits, including VISTE, Talbot House, Mission of Winter Haven, Gospel Inc., PACE Center for Girls, and Trinity Apartments of Lakeland, to give away books and make connections with people. “We feel like there’s a larger demand there and probably a larger calling,” Michael said. The Pippens would love to see their No Covers initiative blossom into a full-time nonprofit organization supported by revenues from Little Bus Books’ for-profit market pop-ups. “That’s the highest goal we have. We’re not trying to push across some initiative. We’re not trying to make everybody read anything,” Michael said. “We are using the books as our platform to get to know people that otherwise we’d have no real interaction with [and] making that very intentional with the hopes that it connects the other part of the community we are already in.” Check out their website and social media pages to find out more about Little Bus Books, No Covers, or what market they’ll attend next. You’ll want to ‘book’ it over there to find your next favorite read! Little Bus Books littlebusbooks.com info@littlebusbooks.com FB @littlebusbooks IG @littlebusbooks

The Lady on the Wall has stood sentinel over Third Street for almost seven years, watching with piercing eyes and windswept locks of ivy hair; chic, silent, and compelling. She has born witness to a massive revitalization and an artistic revival in this southwest sector of Downtown Winter Haven, the likes of which are only just the beginning. She has watched as businesses like Grove Roots Brewing, The Bike Shop and N+1 Coffee, Barrel 239, Haven Coffee Roasters, and Lucille’s have opened their doors to the community. Maybe you’ve noticed her while driving through town? Or you’ve stopped to have your photo taken in front of her iconic image. Perhaps you’ve wondered about her origin. Why is she here? Where did she come from? Who does her hair? The truth is, The Lady on the Wall has quite the story to tell. Hers is a story of beauty, transformation, art, and collaboration, and it is finally ready to be told. It begins with the meeting of two artists: Kenneth Treister, an accomplished Master with a career that spans decades, and William Larence, a young man only beginning to make his way in the art world. Their fateful introduction and ongoing friendship would lead to the first “living mural” in Winter Haven and pave a path for the renaissance to come. TWO ARTISTS Kenneth Treister is well known in the art scene; a quick Google search of his name reveals a plethora of his works and achievements. On March 5, 1930, the artist was born in Flushing, Queens, and his parents moved to Miami Beach, Florida, shortly after his birth. While he is best known for the Holocaust Memorial he designed, sculpted, and constructed in Miami, his portfolio is vast and extensive. He is an architect, architectural historian, painter, sculptor, horticulturist, photographer, author, lecturer, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. This prolific artist spent most of his life in Coconut Grove and moved to Central Florida with his wife, Helyne, about twenty years ago, where he continues working at the age of 92. It was Helyne that introduced Treister and Larence by booking an appointment for the artist at Spectrum Studio, a salon owned and designed by Larence. It was an introduction that would eventually become a catalyst for Larence to comprehend his creative potential fully. William Larence was born on February 19, 1979, in Winter Haven, Florida. Due to his father’s military career, he spent his youth traveling the globe, living in Las Vegas, Shreveport, and Athens, Greece. Larence visited many historical sites and museums and credits his view of the Parthenon as a young child with igniting an artistic spark in his heart. “I’m completely convinced that these experiences in those formative years have most certainly played a major role in my artistic development and passions,” Larence said. This development and passion would continue throughout his life. Larence’s family returned to Central Florida during his junior year of high school. He graduated from Haines City High School in 1997 and moved to Winter Haven shortly after where he has lived for the past 24 years. He intended on enlisting in the military but ended up meeting someone in the cosmetology field and his life took a very different turn. “Hair was certainly not at all on my radar,” Larence continued, “but I was taken with the energy and artistry involved. A large part of the hair industry is definitely a visual art form based around geometry and angles and, of course, color theory.” Larence felt it was a great opportunity and decided to earn his cosmetology license. It was a decision that would quickly lead to owning Spectrum Studio and designing not one, but two locations for the salon. “When we settled on the [first] location in the arcade on Central across from the Ritz, I was in creative bliss,” said Larence. “The Waddell’s owned the building at the time and asked me to present my plans.” Once the plans were approved, Larence began working on his first large-scale redesign. “I was very into modern and contemporary design, so the direction was already predetermined and natural,” he explained. “In that time there was a blend of inspiration for me: certainly Gene Leedy’s work, and of course Frank Lloyd Wright, also Paul Rudolph, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier.” There was an element of simplicity in his design with a concentration on contrast and details. It was minimalistic and modern and the first of its kind in the area. Larence exposed the original brick bones of the building, used metal and birch wood on the ceiling, smooth and rough-textured concrete throughout, and added pops of color along with his signature greenery arrangements. He created a space that would captivate everyone who entered, including the wife of a renowned artist. THE MEETING Larence first met Treister 17 years ago. “His beautiful wife, Helyne, started coming into the studio from a referral when we were on Central,” Larence said. “She raved about the design of the studio and insisted I meet Ken and booked him an appointment.” Larence was unfamiliar with Treister’s work but looked forward to meeting him as he knew he was an artist and architect. He felt an instant connection. “It wasn’t until after our first interaction and conversation and truly connecting with Ken that I really researched him and was amazed,” he said. From that point on, the two would discuss art every four to six weeks while Larence cut Treister’s hair. “I always had my sketchbook at my station waiting,” recalled Larence. “We would have great conversations about architecture and design, and Ken would always ask for a pencil and a piece of paper to sketch an idea or concept for me based on those conversations.” The two discussed Larence’s plans and ideas for Spectrum Studio’s growth and design moving forward. “He was a great inspiration that I cherished and felt I needed in that moment of my artistic development,” said Larence. NEW BEGINNINGS The studio would end up undergoing an expansion and three more remodels before eventually moving to its current location on Third Street; a move that would begin to infuse new life into what was, at the time, a somewhat desolate part of town. Larence had done all the remodels himself, learning and developing as he went. When the decision was made to relocate, Larence said, “It really fell into place with the new location,” and noted the building’s address is the same number as the month and day of his birth, 219. “The Ulches, who were already clients at the time, owned the building,” Larence said. “It had been used for storage but, most recently, a CrossFit gym, so it was pretty open and raw.” It would be his biggest project yet and, in his mind, made way for a greater opportunity. “I felt as Third Street was to become a very hip, energetic street off Central,” he continues. “I presented my plans to the Ulches and again, jumped into action.” The renovation took a solid year while Larence maintained his full-time schedule as a stylist, devoting his nights and weekends to the rebuild. The doors opened in December of 2015 to reveal a refined and polished version of Larence’s original vision. “My style and process has definitely evolved over time with my art,” he said, “but I have stayed true to my underlying philosophies with integrating simple materials composed in an organic flow approach, inspired by geometry and even numerology.” Ultimately, Larence created a beautiful salon that also has the feel of an art gallery, with many of Treister’s works on exhibit. “When we moved to Third, I knew that I wanted to display some of Ken’s paintings in the salon as they seem to mesh perfectly into my visions and designs, especially the largest piece, ‘Rainbow in the Clouds.’ It is made up of nineteen panels of color, showing a blend of the full spectrum. “He’s never displayed that anywhere else,” added Larence, “as if it was meant for the space. Full alignment.” In total, there are nine large, permanent pieces that are now one with the studio, as Treister has donated them to Spectrum for all who walk through to enjoy. THE LADY With everything well on its way inside the studio, Larence turned his attention outdoors. An exterior wall, hiding a unique courtyard space behind it and perfectly inset between Spectrum and the building next to it, called to him. “I envisioned it to be something very special but didn’t know exactly how it was going to go,” he said. Larence shared this with Treister during one of his visits, and right away, Treister had an idea. “A very unique concept that was created specifically for the salon and our downtown setting,” said Larence, “as Ken always said, ‘inspired by beauty and everything surrounding it.’” Treister brought in a drawing of a woman’s face with living ivy for hair, and Larence was taken with it, instantly knowing it was the right choice. “We planned a day and met at the site to lay it out,” said Larence. They used a graphing method to transfer the image onto the wall, and Larence painted as Treister oversaw the whole process. “I was very nervous that day,” Larence recalled, “rightfully so as a master was sitting at times, watching me paint.” Then, with Treister’s instruction, Larence planted two Creeping Fig plants on either side of the face. For three years, Larence hand-watered them every night. “No one really knew the magic that was to come,” explained Larence. “As the vines ascended, I sculpted.” Her tousled tendrils now reach the surrounding walls, creating a dynamic, ever-evolving living mural. Larence has nurtured and maintained her organic tresses from the beginning, trimming them every few months like Winter Haven’s own Edward Scissorhands. Since her creation, The Lady on the Wall has watched Third Street transform. What was once quiet and deserted has become energized and bustling. Businesses continue to spring up and thrive, new murals have appeared, and there is even a flourishing weekly farmers market. With all of this bringing more and more foot traffic, countless people have stopped to take photos with her and admire her beauty. Larence plans to attach a QR code to the mural that will link to his website, which he is developing with a local company, where people can share their photos, both recent and past. Larence said, “I have been deeply inspired and greatly humbled by witnessing the effect she’s had on our downtown community.” THE FUTURE Over the past year, Larence has undergone some significant life changes and been inspired to devote more of his time and energy to new artistic ventures. He is announcing a partnership with Spectrum Studio and the Ulches to bring exciting things and new retail. This will allow the artist more time to pursue his passion. Larence is currently working on a “magical,” one-of-a-kind project at Mountain Lake, and simultaneously designing an art installation that will act as a backdrop for Spirit and the Cosmic Heart’s performance at The Ritz Theatre this August. Larence is also planning his first solo exhibition, Project Kaleidoscope, to be held at Spectrum Studio in early 2023. An epic evening is promised. In addition, Larence is working with local companies to develop ideas for the community moving forward. Bud Strang, President of Six/Ten, said, “We’re big fans of The Lady on the Wall. We are in discussions at Six/Ten with Bill [Larence] about some additional art installations Downtown. We are big believers in public art and believe it’s an important component in any downtown development project.” Strang added, “We like what Bill’s doing.” The feeling is certainly mutual as Larence said of Six/Ten, “They are passionately committed to the awesome growth of Downtown and adding every detail to heighten the experience for everyone visiting to enjoy.” While it is still too soon to give any concrete details, there are undoubtedly some exciting projects on the way; synergy like this will continue to add allure and culture to our city. “I have learned a lot about synergy over the last several years from Ken,” Larence said. “It’s powerful.” Synergy is the concept of two or more forces working together so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. “I have felt that on a deep level with The Lady on the Wall and my relationship with Ken,” said Larence, “and my mind has been very much expanded by this experience.” Through this experience and connection, Larence found the ability to fully spread his wings, and now, the sky is the limit. The Lady on the Wall will surely be watching for the beauty to come. 219 3rd St. SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880

It’s 8 am on a weekday morning, and a puppy in Lakeland is waiting patiently by the front door. He makes a few trips padding back and forth to the front window overlooking the driveway. Joyful barks and tail wags can only mean one thing – the Aussie Bus is here! The good boy can hardly contain his excitement for the day ahead – fetch, playing with his friends, and belly rubs from his favorite doggy daycare moms. What does your dog do while you’re at work all day? Owners of Aussie Mom Pet Sitting, Ashley and Nancy Lee, live in Bartow with their four dogs, three cats, and a tortoise. Ashley has degrees in graphic design and information technology and is currently pursuing a marketing and business degree. She began pet sitting while working full-time as a graphic designer and office manager for two aeronautics companies in Sarasota. “I’m a veterinary technician, but I prefer not to work in the clinic because usually, that deals with the sad parts,” Ashley said. In 2016, she moved back to Polk County to care for her grandmother, whose health was declining, and Nancy’s mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Both Ashley and Nancy were in jobs that didn’t afford them the time with family they needed. So Ashley started pet sitting. She could use her education to care for animals without the emotionally challenging moments of working in a veterinary clinic and have freedom of schedule. Nancy has ten years of certified dental technician experience and has also worked as a licensed cosmetologist. She wanted to be there for her mother’s chemotherapy treatments when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. “In the corporate world, your hours are set. And of course, I was a manager at the salon, so nobody could take my place,” Nancy said. She thought, “Let’s do this so we can both have opportunities to leave whenever we want and visit our family and be there for them.” She joined Ashley as a co-owner in Aussie Mom Pet Sitting. Though Nancy’s mom passed away in 2017, the career change allowed her to be there for her mom’s chemo each week. Nancy said that she has found her passion in pet care and, after having animals all her life, finds comfort in caring for them every day. Another reason the Lee’s started a pet sitting business? “I also don’t trust anyone to watch my pet,” Ashley said. “There’s a need for somebody to provide a home environment where when I’m gone, they can take my dog, and they can still feel like they’re at home.” DOGGY DAYCARE When Aussie Mom first started, they offered home visits and overnight services. Their clientele has grown so much in the last six years that they no longer offer home visits but have plenty of services to keep tails wagging. In that time, they’ve taken care of kangaroos, cats, lizards, chinchillas, and bearded dragons, though now they focus their services on dogs (and the occasional bird). The Aussie Mom owners pride themselves on providing a professional and personalized pet care experience in an in-home environment serving Lakeland and Winter Haven. Services include doggy daycare/ play dates, boarding, and even transportation for pets on their Aussie Bus. The latter service is a hit with pets and their humans alike. “As soon as [the dogs] see the leash, they know they’re going to Aussie Mom,” Nancy said. It eliminates the stress of adding another stop on the morning commute for clients. “I come between 7 am and 9 am,” said Nancy. “I pick them up, they come all day, and I drop them off between 4 pm and 6 pm. So, when you come back home from work, they’re tired.” Clients fill out a form allowing Nancy to enter their homes so when she drops them off, she can fill their water and make sure they potty one more time. The Aussie Moms often have clients send pictures of their tuckered-out dog passed out on the couch with a big ‘Thank you!’ For any potential overnight guests, they set up a meet and greet for an assessment of the dog and always have them come over for a play date before boarding to make sure they get along with other pups. Nancy said, “It all depends on the dynamic – what their temperament is and what behaviors they have.” The number of dogs they’ll accept for boarding depends on the circumstance. They take the health and temperament of each precious pup into account. According to Ashley, “We’ve had dogs with heart failure where they can’t be overstimulated. We have to check on them every two hours to make sure they’re still breathing. They could go at any moment. If we have our pups and that guest, we wouldn’t take anybody else.” If there isn’t a high-maintenance pet coming in, the Aussie Moms limit boarding to four to five dogs. The daycare has become the pet sitters’ most sought-after service. “It’s really good for people to take that effort and sign up for a day of daycare here and there for socialization,” said Ashley. The Bartow-based pet sitting company is currently fully booked for doggy daycare through the summer. The ‘Aussie’ in Aussie Mom Pet Sitting is an homage to two of their pets, Aussies Roxy and Hurley. Roxy is the Aussie Mom mascot and a house mom of sorts amongst the dogs. The mellow rescue doggie, adopted at just four and a half weeks old, is now 13. Known to involve all the dogs in playtime, Roxy is helpful with dogs of all ages and dispositions. According to Ashley, “She’s really good if we have senior pups that need to be socialized but not overwhelmed.” Roxy will even comfort anxious dogs by snuggling with them. PET CARE PROFESSIONALS Aussie Mom Pet Sitting is a licensed LLC, insured through Business Insurers of the Carolinas and Certified through NAPPS (National Association of Professional Pet Sitters). They also hold certifications in Fear Free and Pet Behavior/Psychology. “The industry as a whole saw that anxiety was becoming a bigger issue,” said Ashley. “We network with other companies in Lakeland and Winter Haven. We have meetings every couple of months. Everybody was saying we’ve got to figure something out.” Ashley said of their Fear Free Certification, “It’s a lot about reading the body language of the pets. With COVID, a lot of people were home 24/7, and now their dogs have increased anxiety [because people are leaving home more and the dogs aren’t used to their absence].” Nancy noted that this could lead to some dogs becoming destructive when left alone. Many of their clients have expressed that they haven’t been able to go out to dinner after the pandemic without their dog tearing up the house or becoming distressed when they go into the kennel. “That was part of the certification. It taught us how to read them and implement different ways to get them back into being a normal dog again,” Nancy said. “When we started the business, we found there was a need for professional pet care,” Ashley said. “A lot of people will use Rover or Wag! or family members or neighbors and they find out that they never came, or they came for five minutes and left and didn’t feed them, or they went all weekend and the person came one time.” The neighborhood kid may be cheaper, but there is peace of mind with hiring a professional (especially one who is NAPPS certified) to care for your pet. The Aussie Moms encourage pet parents to do their research before entrusting their dogs into someone’s care. They work with the pet industry software, Time To Pet which gives an extra bit of assurance to their clients through tools like clock-in and clock-out if they were to visit someone’s home, photos, GPS when walking a dog, and report cards noting if the pet ate, drank water, or used the bathroom. “That software is a lifesaver because we used to do everything by hand,” said Nancy. Ashley called pet sitting a 24/7, 365 job that is “different every day.” The pair hope to one day expand their labor of puppy love into a larger facility, perhaps a ‘barndominium’ property offering an in-home environment, and eventually grow their staff. THE AUSSIE MOM FAMILY For Ashley Lee, the best part of her job is seeing clients they’ve not seen for a while. “We’ll show up, and the dog just comes running to us like ‘Oh my God, where have you been?!’” she said. Though that is on occasion mixed with sad moments like when a senior dog they’ve grown to love passes away. She said, “We call them our ‘Aussie Mom Family’ because it’s like having a bunch of little nieces and nephews. We get attached, and it’s hard when they pass.” Nancy said, “It’s probably the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had. They’re therapy. When my mom passed away, this is what got me through it. [...] You can go to your 9-5 job every day, but the happiness you see and when the clients tell you how much they appreciate you because it’s like their child – to feel like you’re a part of their family as much as they’re a part of yours – it’s just so fulfilling.” Aussie Mom Pet Sitting aussiemompetsitting.com FB @AussieMomPetSittingLLC IG @aussiemompetsitting 863-701-3137 Photography by Amy Sexson

At a downtown Auburndale thrift boutique, purchases benefit adoptable pups. It really is Goin’ to the Dogs! This charming thrift store on Auburndale’s Main Street sells donated items to benefit Crossed Paws Pet Rescue. The rescue, started by Stephanie Badillo, takes in homeless and abandoned dogs and finds them a forever home. Stephanie Badillo had been rescuing dogs at her home for ten years before starting Crossed Paws Pet Rescue in 2017. “My dogs aren’t dogs that come from people. Some do, but most of my dogs are from the ditches, the woods, some really late nights in some really scary places, and most of my dogs come in pregnant. I’ve had eleven litters at one time,” she said. When she rescues dogs, Badillo gets them veterinary care, has them microchipped, spayed or neutered, and has them treated for any injuries or illnesses. No matter how many thousands of dollars she spends rehabilitating an animal, the adoption fee is always $300. A PAW-SOME IDEA Dog lover and owner of Goin’ to the Dogs Thrift Shoppe, Mariann Motola, met Badillo about five years ago. “I started following another rescue in Bakersfield, California called Marley’s Mutts,” said Motola. Appreciative of their work from afar, she wanted to do the same good in her community, so she Googled ‘pet rescue Auburndale’ and Crossed Paws was the first result. “I liked what she was doing. She was the only rescue in this whole area. I got to know her, and one of the things that she constantly needed was funding,” said Motola. Funding was essential to cover vet bills and the expenses of running a kennel with 70 dogs. Motola suggested they open a thrift shop selling donated items to help meet that financial need. It just so happened that her husband had a space in downtown Auburndale that would make a great thrift store. Shortly after announcing the opening of Goin’ to the Dogs Thrift Shoppe on social media, supporters of Crossed Paws Pet Rescue showered them with enough donations to fill two storage units. According to Motola, “All the money that comes in goes directly to Crossed Paws Pet Rescue. [...] My ideal plan was to always pay the rent over at the kennel.” Since opening in August of 2019, they’ve been able to do that almost every month, with a surplus to cover utilities, food, and veterinary expenses some months as well. “Everything in the store has been donated,” said Motola. “I don’t purchase anything.” The Goin’ to the Dogs owner says her aim for the store is to be a thrift boutique for lightly used items from adult clothing, home décor, and jewelry to books, DVDs, CDs, and an entire back wall of dog products. She says the store’s demographic tends to be women aged 20-60 – all dog lovers, of course. The volunteer-run store is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. FINDING FUR-EVER HOMES “I just picked up a mother dog and four puppies dumped off 80 Foot Road,” shared Badillo. Unfortunately, tragic situations like this aren’t infrequent. “The laws have to change,” said the Crossed Paws Pet Rescue owner. “They need to require spay and neuter and require people to take control of their actions with their dogs.” Motola added, “And they all need to be microchipped. That way, we can locate the owner, and then if the dogs are dumped, they have to take responsibility for them.” Adopting a dog through Crossed Paws is a purposefully stringent process. “We have an adoption application that must be filled out, and we do not adopt until we know everything about those people,” said Motola. This includes finding out what kind of dog a person or family is looking for, verifying their address, and speaking to the landlord if they have one. “Some people get upset by this. Some people don’t want to adopt from us because of the process that we have, but it’s pretty strict,” said Badillo. Badillo wants to ensure that each of her dogs ends up with the right family, even going as far as Maine to get them there. She’s driven 90 dogs up north already, where she partners with another rescue. “I get them adopted first. Then I drive them to the other rescue, and the people that are adopting are there waiting for their pups,” she said. The rescue also attends community events like Bark in the Park in Winter Haven and Touch a Truck in Auburndale to drum up support for the cause and hopefully find homes for their dogs. “Auburndale Parks and Recreation are very good to us. They always include us in whatever they do over at the park,” said Motola. Crossed Paws recently held their own event in Auburndale, where they did 14 adoptions in one day. According to Badillo, the rescue plans to hold monthly adoption events at the K-Ville Community Center. Interested in adopting a fourlegged friend through Crossed Paws? Folks are asked to fill out an application online. Once an application has been accepted, “We do meet and greet by appointment,” said Motola. HOW TO HELP To support the dogs at Crossed Paws Pet Rescue, the community can make financial donations, donate cleaning supplies like garbage bags, paper towels, dog shampoo, and puppy pads, or shop at Goin’ to the Dogs Thrift Shoppe. “We’re always looking for new volunteers who want to come in and work the store,” said Motola. Good items to donate to the store include lightly used clothing and home décor in good condition (clean, no tears, no missing zippers or buttons). Anything they don’t plan to sell is donated to another thrift store or nonprofit. Motola looked around Goin’ to the Dogs Thrift Shoppe and said, “This is from all the people who support Crossed Paws. It’s just really cool.” Keep up with Goin’ to the Dogs on social media to learn about sales and new inventory. They often bring dogs to the store so guests can shop and get a little pooch smooch from a sweet pup like five-year-old wired-haired terrier, Loki, and 6 to 7-yearold longhair dachshund, Willie, who at the time of print, are available for adoption! Goin’ to the Dogs Thrift Shoppe 106B Main St, Auburndale FB @gointothedogsthriftshoppe (407) 414-5651 Crossed Paws Pet Rescue Crossedpawspetrescue.org FB @crossedpawspetrescue Photography by Amy Sexson