Trop Rock

Just Add Bourbon!

Posted on June 9, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

Just returned from the first leg of my Just Add Bourbon summer trop rock tour. Playing at Pompano Joe’s in Destin is a memorable one — perhaps the most beautiful view from the stage that I’ve ever seen, and plenty of Parrot Heads in the crowd!

Schooner played Pompano Joe’s in Destin to kick off his Just Add Bourbon summer tour.

Usually that turquoise water that the Gulf of Mexico is famous for is my backdrop, but this time I got to look out over the white beach and aqua water as I played.

I then moved on to Tropical Isle in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. What a cool place! While the neon green Hand Grenades — New Orleans’ most powerful drink — were quite tempting, partaking in such a beverage and still being able to remember the words to my songs would not have been possible. Not doubt, a potential “Fool Button” episode. So I abstained…this time. A big thanks to Pam and Earl for having me! I was particularly impressed with Pam’s Hand Grenade-green Porsche , custom designed and painted to match the drink.

Schooner with Julie Nevius, manager of Tropical Isle on Bourbon Street, New Orleans.

Big thanks also to their manager Julie Nevius, who is a big Parrot Head. Also can’t forget the bartenders, Britney, Sasha and Paige, who clued me into the cool way the patrons sent tips and song requests to the stage through the little sucky tubes (like at the bank drive-thru, very cool!)

Make sure to stop by next time you’re in the Big Easy, and vote for Tropical Isle for Best Trop Rock Venue in the Beachfront Radio awards this year!

A special thanks to Derby City Dave, who stopped by with family and friends while in town for the Zydeco Music Festival. It was great seeing a good friend and Parrot Head extraordinaire from home.

For more summer dates on the Just Add Bourbon tour, check my tour dates page.

— Schooner

Categories: Parrot Heads, Performances, Trop Rock, Uncategorized | Tags: Big Easy, Bourbon Street, Derby City Dave, Destin, Gulf of Mexico, Hand Grenades, Julie Nevius, New Orleans, Parrot Heads, Pompano Joe's, Schooner, trop rock, Tropical Isle, Zydeco Music Festival

New dates!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

Hey Parrot Heads, Schooner’s “Just Add Bourbon” tour is expanding! Check out our tour dates page for an updated list of trop rock concerts including new bookings in York, Pennsylvania. And if you live in the Destin, Florida or New Orleans area, make sure you stop by Schooner’s gigs in those areas the first week of June.

Schooner is also booking private Parrot Head house parties throughout Florida for the summer. Any open date is an option. Take a look at the tour dates and let us know if you’d like to book one of his openings. Fins up!

Categories: Parrot Heads, Trop Rock | Tags: Destin, Florida, New Orleans, Parrot Heads, Schooner

Posted on February 17, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

During the time I’ve lived here in paradise, I’ve been so fortunate to become friends with other musicians who have followed the call to the beach. Although I have had many musicians influence my music, I can honestly say that those I’ve met chasing the trop rock dream, have been the most open, friendly and giving people that I’ve ever met.

My brushes with Trop Rock greatness probably began with Sunny Jim, who I had the pleasure of meeting at Meeting of the Minds in 1999. Aside from being one of the most talented writers and performers that I’ve met, he and his wife, Adela, are some of the most genuinely friendly people I’ve ever met.

Since that great weekend 14 years ago, I’ve also had the pleasure of performing with the likes of the Conch Republic Band from Lexington, Kentucky — one of the most energetic live shows you’ll ever see, and again, some of the nicest guys and gals you’ll ever meet! My travels have also allowed me to perform with the likes of the Chris Sacks Band, Gary Philips, Mike Mangum, Dani Hoy, Mike Armstrong, David McKenney, Duane Harlick from the Tropoholics, Jimi Pappas and many others.

Recently I’ve had the pleasure of jamming with my friend, Rick “Kid Conch” Schettino at some really cool venues. We first performed together at the Lazy Gecko in Key West and since then have been on stage together at the Sandbox on Anna Maria Island and the Hideaway Cafe in St. Petersburg, Florida He’s a great writer and an incredibly accomplished musician. It’s relationships like this that allow all of us to mold our ideas into the tunes you all come to hear us play, and I’m grateful to Rick and all others who share my vision and continue to raise the bar for Trop Rock Music. Good on ya!

Categories: Performances, Trop Rock | Tags: Anna Maria Island, Chris Sacks Band, Conch Republic, Dani Hoy, David McKenney, Duane Harlick, Florida, Gary Philipis, Hideaway Cafe, Jimi Pappas, Key West, Kid Conch, Lazy Gecko, Meeting of the Minds, Mike Armstrong, Mike Mangum, Rick Schettino, Sandbox, St. Petersburg, Sunny Jim, trop rock, Tropoholics

Pandora doesn’t get trop rock

Posted on February 12, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

I like to vary my online listening habits, from Beachfront Radio and Radio Margaritaville to some of my other favorite trop rock stations. I’ve also been listening to Pandora a lot lately, but they clearly don’t understand trop rock. Type in “Jimmy Buffett,” and you’ll get a few relevant options — certainly some Buffett (around every 10th song or so), mixed in with a small amount of Zack Brown Band and Bob Marley. Every once in a while they’ll throw in some Harry Belafonte, but that’s about where the trop rock ends.

Somebody at Pandora must have decided that Jimmy Buffett is easy listening (what?!), because most of what comes out of my speakers is James Taylor, the softer side of The Eagles and Jack Johnson. Don’t get me wrong — I’m a huge fan of all of these artists. However, they are by no stretch of the imagination considered trop rock.

While I get that the true trop rock artists who haven’t hit the mainstream are probably limited from Pandora due to contracts and contacts, they might want to take another look at their algorithms. Because there are plenty of songs out there that I would consider trop rock, even if the artist isn’t a full-time trop rocker. Come on, people!

– Schooner

Categories: Trop Rock | Tags: Beachfront Radio, Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte, Jack Johnson, James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, Pandora, Radio Margaritaville, Schooner, The Eagles, trop rock, Zack Brown Band

Schooner adds new dates in St. Armands, Osprey and Destin!

Posted on January 29, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

Check out Schooner’s Tour Dates, because we’ve added several new ones! We continue to announce new dates for Schooner’s Just Add Bourbon Tour — June 4 at Pompano Joe’s in Destin (one of Schooner’s favorites!) Why bourbon, you might ask? Well, aside from the fact that it’s delicious, Schooner is heading to Bourbon Street in New Orleans to play June 7 at Tropical Isle, voted #5 Trop Rock Venue by Beachfront Radio listeners. We’ll make a stop in Destin along the way.

Beach Bum it with Schooner on June 4 at Pompano Joe’s in Destin.

New dates also include several spring dates for Spanish Pointe in Osprey — Tiki Bar Extraordinaire — and ChaCha Coconuts in St. Armands Circle next Tuesday night. Come out for the most excellent fish tacos in Sarasota that we’ve tried so far!

If you’re along the route from Sarasota to the Big Easy — Tampa, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Mobile, Pascagoula, Gulfport, Whatever — Schooner is also booking house parties. So contact him if you’re interested in booking a Trop Rock house party.

Fins Up, Parrot Heads!

Categories: Parrot Heads, Performances, Trop Rock | Tags: Beachfront Radio, Bourbon Street, Chacha Coconuts, Destin, Gainesville, Gulfport, Just Add Bourbon, Mobile, New Orleans, Osprey, Parrot Head, Pascagoula, Pensacola, Pompano Joe's, Sarasota, Schooner, Spanish Pointe, St. Armands Circle, Tallahassee, Tampa, tiki bar, trop rock, Tropical Isle

Happy 2013!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by jennifermcguirefl

As I sit on my Sarasota balcony in 75-degree sunshine listening to Beachfront Radio, it’s hard not to reflect on where I’ve been in the past year and where I hope to go in 2013.

As I’m sure can be said for all of you, 2012 saw so much change. I moved to Florida, left my good friends in the Conch Republic band (where I was the lead singer) and embarked on a solo career, put out my first CD, played Meeting of the Minds, embraced the Florida lifestyle, and said goodbye to my father. He passed away from cancer on Dec. 9 — a fate that has unfortunately followed so many of the New York Firefighters and other first responders of 911. While this last event certainly had the most impact on me, I think all of these things changed me, mostly for the better.

Chief Dick McGuire of the NYFD.

While I’ve never been one to stick to New Year’s resolutions, here are a few that I am hopeful to embrace in 2013:

I want to establish a scholarship fund in my father’s name, to help a needy football player with his tuition to St. Anthony’s High School in Long Island. My dad was a football coach there for many years, and he donated his salary each year to pay for a student’s tuition. I’d like to keep that tradition going, so expect to see some fundraisers and tip donations this year.
After my taste of the trop rock lifestyle in 2012, I’m hungry for more. More gigs, more tours, more collaborations with other trop rockers, another CD, and more purchases from Tommy Bahama.
Getting more fishing in and spending more time napping on the beach are definitely on my list of priorities for 2013.
It wouldn’t be a New Year’s resolution without admitting that I want to live healthier. We’ll see how that goes.

Overall, 2012 was a good year. Here’s to making 2013 everything that we all hope it will be! Cheers!

Categories: Living the Life, Trop Rock | Tags: Beachfront Radio, Conch Republic, Florida, Sarasota, trop rock

New Orleans or Bust

Posted on December 27, 2012 by jennifermcguirefl

Mark your calendars! Schooner is playing June 7 at Tropical Isle on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, which was just voted the #5 Top of the Trops Trop Rock Venue by listeners of Beachfront Radio. This will be the midpoint of his Gulf Coast tour, so Parrot Heads, we hope to see you there!

Categories: Performances, Trop Rock | Tags: Beachfront Radio, Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Parrot Heads, Schooner, trop rock, Tropical Isle

Meeting of the Minds: Day 3 (a bit belated)

Posted on November 7, 2012 by jennifermcguirefl

Let me just say that by Day 3 of Meeting of the Minds in Key West, I was so exhausted that I never got the chance to blog. Of course, the fact that I was hanging out with the Parrot Heads and my trop rock friends, and playing at Lazy Gecko until the wee hours, may have had a little to do with it…

Had a blast playing with Chris Sacks and the guys for the Sarasota Bay Parrot Heads!

Saturday was perhaps the best day of all. After relaxing on the beach at the gorgeous Casa Marina, I played for the Sarasota Bay Parrot Heads (my home club!) at the Ocean Breeze Inn. They had shots of jello, shots of concoctions that tasted like apple pie, shots Rum Jumbie…an awesome day, to say the least!

I joined some trop rock favorites on stage. Chris Sacks and his band were a blast to play with, and were definitely some guys I could hang with. They played the same kind of music I like — rockin’ trop rock. Mike Mangum sat in, cool guy; and Gary Philips joined on guitar, also a great guy; plus Duane Harlick from the Tropoholics — awesome voice, best version of Bob Seger’s “Night Moves” that I’ve heard. Lastly, John Frinzi took the stage — a charismatic guy with a great voice who apparently the girls really love! Had a blast playing and watching. Good times.

Enjoyed playing with Gary Philips at Meeting of the Minds. Great guy!

Took my family to the Southernmost Hotel Cafe for a late-afternoon lunch. My 8-year-old son and I were very pleased to know that the beach there, which the restaurant overlooks, has a bikini top-optional beach. The second pair of boobies my guy has seen so far (the first was on the jumbotron at the Cincinnati Buffett show). He seems pretty pleased with that. Wish my wife had let me take a picture to share.

Had a late night at the Lazy Gecko to play again with Chris Sacks and the boys, and hang out with John Friday and Danni Hoy (love her new CD!), then back home to Sarasota. Thank God I didn’t have to fly back up north to where it’s snowing. I don’t miss those days one bit. If my worst case scenario is Siesta Key, I’m doing pretty good in life!

The ladies in the Sarasota Bay Parrot Head Club loved John Frinzi.

Categories: Parrot Heads, Performances, Trop Rock, Uncategorized | Tags: Buffett, Casa Marina, Chris Sacks, Danni Hoy, Duane Harlick, Gary Philips, John Friday, John Frinzi, Key West, Meeting of the Minds, Mike Magnum, Ocean Breeze Inn, Sarasota, Sarasota Bay Parro Heads, Schooner, Siesta Key, Southernmost Hotel, trop rock, Tropoholics

Meeting of the Minds: Day 2

Posted on November 2, 2012 by jennifermcguirefl

Schooner chilling at the Casa Marina!

So far, Meeting of the Minds has been two of the most fun and most exhausting days ever! It’s so nice to be back in Key West with my Parrot Head PHriends, listening to some of my favorite trop rock performers and playing songs from my new CD.

We hit the MOTM Mini Mart first thing this morning, ran into Sunny Jim, and then relaxed on the beach a bit. Even though I lived in Key West and have vacationed here countless times, I’d never been to the resort and didn’t know it was that gorgeous. I’m ready to make my reservation for next year now!

Checked out Mike Armstrong on the Duval stage in front of Margaritaville during the street fest. Those Landsharks sure tasted good. Then it was down to Koz’s Green World Gallery for the Key West debut of my first solo CD, Mid-Life Vices. Ran into some of my PHavorite PHriends from the Bluegrass Parrot Head Club, and it was so great seeing some friendly faces from home!

Schooner and one of trop rock’s biggest supporters, Koz of Koz’s Green World Gallery.

Headed down to the Tree Bar for the best margaritas and Bloody Marys on the island, then over to Turtle Kraals, one of my favorite haunts from the good ole days, for some mid-afternoon dinner. Capped the afternoon off with a frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate from Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe — the best ever — then back to drop off the family at the hotel.

It might be an early night for my Wharf Rats, but Schooner is headed back out to listen to some more trop rock and soak in Key West. More tomorrow…

…Schooner

It was so good to see some of the Bluegrass Parrot Heads today!

Categories: Parrot Heads, Trop Rock | Tags: Casa Marina, Key West, Koz's Green World, Landsharks, Margaritaville, Meeting of the Minds, Mid-Life Vices, Parrot Heads, Schooner, Sunny Jim, Tree Bar, Turtle Kraals

Meeting of the Minds — Or Bust!

Posted on October 30, 2012 by jennifermcguirefl

ROAD TRIP!!

As soon as trick-or-treating is done, Schooner is heading down to Key West for some trop rock, Jimmy Buffett loving, margarita drinking Meeting of the Minds with the Parrot Heads!

Will you be there? We’d like to invite you to come out and meet Schooner — Beachfront Radio’s Bad Boy of Trop Rock 2012 — and hear some of his new songs from the Mid-Life Vices CD, like Shit Hit the Fan, In Arrears Drinking Beer and Pier Pressure. Pick up an autographed CD as a MOTM memento at the following events:

Nov. 1 (11 am-ish) — Irish Kevin’s, sitting in with Mike Armstrong

Nov. 1 (3:30-4 pm) — M.O.T.M. Tropical Songwriters Showcase, T’s Bistro & Bar, 1114 Duval Street, Key West

Nov. 2 (2-2:40 pm) — M.O.T.M. CD release party, Koz’s Green World Gallery, 712B Duval Street, Key West

Nov. 3 — Sarasota Bay Parrot Heads M.O.T.M. Party, Ocean Breeze Inn, Key West, FL

You can also message him at @schoonerrat on Twitter for updates on where he’ll be performing. Hope to see you there!

Categories: Parrot Heads, Performances, Trop Rock, Uncategorized