Myrtice Young grew up in Lake Wales after her family moved to Florida and has been a Polk County resident for 74 years. She has served as the Preservation Manager at the Polk History Center for nearly 14…
Posts tagged as “Musician”
Jim Stafford was born in Winter Haven in 1944. As a teenager, he played in a band with future legendary musicians Bobby Braddock, Kent LaVoie, and Gram Parsons. Stafford wrote and recorded his first chart-making song, The Swamp…
Dr. Jessie Owens is a Winter Haven native and life-long music educator. She received her music education degree from Florida A&M University, her master’s degree from NYU, and her doctorate in organizational leadership from NOVA Southeastern University. She…
Frank Howes grew up in Live Oak, FL and became the Band Director at Southwest Jr. High in Lakeland, Florida in 1971 after graduating from the University of Florida. During Howes’ tenure, the Southwest band performed at clinics…
Canter Brown Jr. is an historian, professor and author. He was born in Fort Meade, Florida, and earned his degrees at Florida State University. He taught at Florida A&M University and has worked at Fort Valley State University…
The Polk Arts Alliance honors Polk County Commissioner, Melony Bell for her commitment, advocacy and tireless work as County Commissioner to support the cultural arts sector in Polk County. On July 24, 2012 after several years of advocacy, under the leadership…
Bobby Braddock, who left Auburndale for Nashville as a young adult, gained notoriety for writing such country music classics as “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” performed by Tammy Wynette and the song, “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” popularized by George Jones. Additionally,…
Rick Olivo, who moved to Polk County from New York and passed away in 2022, has long been recognized as one of Lakeland’s art icons. He founded Pied Pipers Children’s Theater (Lakeland Community Theatre) and was also one…
Harriet Rust, a Polk County native, founded the Davenport Historical Society with then-Mayor Peter Rust (her late husband). The DHS founded the Quilts and Tea Festival that brought together the Davenport School of the Arts, many sewing organizations,…
Jazz icon, Nat Adderley made Lakeland his home in the eighties and is credited with being a founding member of Florida Southern College’s Child of the Sun Jazz Festival, eventually serving as Artist-In-Residence for the school. Adderley, who…