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Some
of our own who were contemporaries in the Auburndale/Winter
Haven area during the early sixties and went on to
have an impact on the national and international music
scenes.
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 From
Auburndale, FL, songwriter, producer and recording
artist, Bobby
Braddock has written around 1,200 songs,
of which about 80 songs made it on to the charts,
about 35 were "Top 10" hits, and approximately
13 were "Number 1's". He has produced a
#1 hit single and album for artist Blake Shelton
and has made numerous recordings for numerous major
labels under his own name.
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 Born
in Winter Haven, FL, singer-songwriter Gram
Parsons, pioneered the fusion
of country music with rock music, creating
a new genre known variously as country-rock,
alternative country and/or Cosmic American
music. Major fame would elude him during his
26 years of life, but since his tragic death
in 1973, the Parsons legend has grown to, what
can only be described as, mythical proportions.
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 Born
in Eloise, Florida, just outside of WInter Haven, Jim
Stafford is an all-American entertainer
with unique talents, a wry sense of humor, and a business
savy that, in the course of his career, has scored
him not only a string of quirky country-pop hits in
the 1970s and a stint with TV in the 1980s, but has
ultimately led to his now owning and operating his
own theatre in Branson, Missouri. A true professional. |
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 Probably
best remembered for early his seventies soft-rock
perennials, "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" and "I'd
Love You to Want Me," singer/songwriter Kent
LaVoie was best known by his stagename "Lobo".
Always a prolific songwriter, he also produced chart
topping hits for country artists Joe Stampley and
Christy Lane during the 1980's. Although retired,
Lobo still continues to enjoy great popularity in
the Asian markets.
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 Auburndale,
Florida native, Carl
Chambers, is one of those rare talents
that managed national successes without ever moving
from his Central Florida home. Among those accomplishments
were: playing guitar for the Bellamy Brothers (in the
studio and on the road) on 5 #1 hits during the 1970s;
charting his own record in 1981 and writing a #1 hit
song for superstars Alabama and a #4 hit for super-picker
Ricky Skaggs during the '80s. |
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 Drummer,
singer and songwriter, Jon
Corneal, is considered one of the pioneers
of the country-rock movement that was spearheaded by
Gram Parsons back in the late '60s. Jon was drummer
on what is considered the first country-rock album, "Safe
At Home" by the International Submarine Band and
also played on tracks included on the Byrds only country
effort, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". |
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 A
connesieur and student of the bass guitar, Auburndale's Gerald "Jesse" Chambers traveled
the world as both a side-man and personal manager first
for the Bellamy Brothers in the late 1970s and then
for superstar Ricky Skaggs during the '80s. His strict
sense of timing as well as his sophisticated touch
made him an intricate and coveted member of Skaggs' "super-pickers" rhythm
section. |
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 Born
in Dunedin, Florida, but reared in Winter Haven, songwriter Herb
McCullough didn't play or sing during
the 1960's, but did hang out with all the guys who
did. In 1974, he moved north to Nashville, and as they
say, the rest was history. A prolific songwriter, Herb
had songs recorded by many of the day's country stars
and worked for many major publishers over the years
and was a major influence on Carl Chambers' career. |
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 Jazz
guitarist, singer, comedian and freelance writer, Jim
Carlton, is a Winter Haven, Florida native
who began his music career in 1962 with Jim Stafford
and Gram Parsons in their rock band the Legends. As
a comedy and script writer, Jim's credentials go on
and on and include material for the Smothers Brothers,
Jim Stafford, Johnny Carson, Arsenio Hall and David
Letterman -- just to name a few. |
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 Singer,
saxophonist and keyboardist Bruce
Canova, was awarded the honorary title "PolKat
Potentate" at the 2001 PolKat Reunion Show in
Winter Haven, FL. Bruce mentored almost everyone of
the PolKats and often hired them to work in his lounge
acts, always offering strong encouragement to the young
players-- and all this while, working as City Manager
for the city of Auburndale, Florida, a job he held
for some 32 years. |
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