Sunshine State Soundtrack: The Famous Musicians of Florida

More than just a melting pot of cultures, Florida is a melting pot of music. From conga to country, rap to rock, pop songs to disco beats, the state's diversity is reflected in the songs and sounds of some of America's most notable performers. Florida's discography of artists span nearly every genre of music, from balladeers like Frances Langford to country artists like Slim Whitman, and rockers and pop stars including Tom Petty and Gloria Estefan. Also on the playlist are musical legends including Ray Charles, Jimmy Buffett, and the Bee Gees - all of whom will be seen and heard in this fun-filled presentation of trivia, audio clips, and archival videos. Just press play!

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Gary McKechnie is a former stand-up comedian, improv actor, author of the nation’s best-selling motorcycle guidebook, and a two-time National Geographic author. He’s written for Walt Disney World, Fodor’s travel guides, is a two-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. Off the road, he and his wife owned and operated Mount Dora's Coconut Cottage Inn and wrote A Brief History of Mount Dora. He lectures on American travel, culture, and music aboard the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Anne the ships of the Seabourn and Silversea lines. As an active citizen, he formed non-profits to renovate the Mount Dora Community Building; crowd-funded a public sculpture of Mabel Norris Reese, an editor of who faced repeated death threats for her defense of civil rights during the 1950s; and organized the successful drive to honor Desi Arnaz through the Florida historic marker program. In 2018 he ran as the Democratic candidate for Florida State Senate, District 12.

"Funding for this Florida Talks program was provided by Florida Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities."

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