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Local Ft. Myers Music Scene The waterways of Cape Coral help make the Southwestern Florida area a tourist attraction. In the 2010 Census the Fort Myers metropolitan area had a population of over 618,000. Campuses include Hodges University, Keiser University, Nova Southeastern University and Rasmussen College. The local scene is covered by The News-Press.com. The history of the Fort Myers music scene has included Craig Leon, who produced Blondie and The Ramones, rapper Plies and AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams. Fort Myers Music Acts Melody Moros * Industry Worx * David Dean * Eduardo Pratti * Crown of Thorns * Jean Beauvoir * RondaLee * Charlie Kuchler * John Friday * Fort Myers Local Music Scene History Starting in March 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fort Myers music venues were shut down to avoid spreading the virus. The shutdown included cancelling Independence Day events. Instead, local residents turned to small gatherings, drive-in events and virtual shows. The 2018 Downtown Fort Myers Music Walk opened in the River District features jazz, blues, rock and more. The free concert series featuring local and regional talent is held the third Friday of every month throughout the spring and summer from 6-10 pm. The main event sponsor is Sanibel Captiva Community Bank. Jeff Prince had a life-long dream come true in 2015 when a song he wrote with friend Jimmy Melton called "Django and Jimmie" was recorded by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. It was the title track of the duo's big selling album. Prince and Melton wrote the song with the country legends in mind. He said Nelson and Haggard had been his heroes since he was 12 years old. Prince performed at his 1985 class reunion on Friday, September 25, 2015 at Fort Myers Beach Smokin' Oyster Brewery. Karen Morreale is an Examiner.com contributor who writes about the Fort Myers music scene. She is also a musician, owner of Surreal2Reel Studios and a marketer. She has also written about the Southwest Florida region in general. Some of the people she's written about include Hail The Villain, radio personality Anthony "Roach" Proffitt and Geek Skwad. Read more of her stories here. Fort Myers Magazine stays up to date on CD releases by local artists in Fort Myers. Some of the artists they reviewed in 2013 include Tommy Lee Cook, Heather Brooks and Love In War, who each released new CDs. Cook has been a long time local favorite in blues bars and just released his fifth album. Brooks has emerges as one of the top singer/songwriters in the region. Her music varies from ballads to dance pop. Love in War mix electronic industrial elements with rock music. As a gateway to tourism is Southwest Florida, Fort Myers is a nationally recognized vacation resort area. So in a sense, musicians who perform in the area are performing for the nation without leaving town. Tourism keeps the area economically viable, regardless of what happens with the rest of the nation. The city is known for its sandy shores and outdoor recreation such as fishing and golf. The metropolitan area also includes Cape Coral. |
