The Will McLean Stage features outstanding Florida Artists. These artists represent the BEST of Florida Folk and Acoustic Performers. It is funded by a grant from the Will McLean Foundation. We are grateful for their support and commitment to Florida music and musicians.
Ron & Bari are an acoustic music duo who for past 20 years have performed with the Roadside Revue, a well known Florida based festival Band. Although Roadside Revue still rides, we are also now performing as a duo.
Their duo BlueBird has released two CDs on the SongCrew label. “BlueBird At My Window” is a collection of folk-blues and country-blues. Their latest, “Jazz Hands,” features jazz-inflected standards and blues.
With sand in his boots and orange blossom honey in his throat Doug Spears’ fourth generation native Florida roots flow through his music revealing the history, values and perspectives that define him. The finest blend of storyteller and musician, Doug’s songs reach out like long-forgotten picture postcards discovered on a rainy afternoon, subtly and artfully telling universal stories of complex characters in often difficult circumstances that go straight to the heart of audiences of all ages and don’t let up, from start to finish. A seasoned performer and touring troubadour, Spears has invested more than 30 years developing his distinctive craft and with each song bite, the rich flavors penetrate the listening palate. Often drawing comparisons to some of the best known and well established artists of the genre Doug has carved a special niche for himself in folk and Americana music.
Jane was one of last year’s three singer-songwriter finalists and we are happy to have her on our stage again this year.
Jane (Ross) Fallon is a American performer whose smooth, rich voice and well-written songs get noticed. With vocals that have been called “angelic” and “mesmerizing” by Boston’s Metronome magazine, her original songs “combine humor, intelligence, and deep musicality with an artfulness that is unusual.” (Wildy’s World Music blog).
She has 8 CD’s and two books to her credit. Her newest release, Tangled in a Tree, charted at #4 on the Acoustic Roots Chart and debuted at #8 on Airplay Direct; it was nominated by Limelight Magazine as “Album of the Year” . The Noise in Boston said the album was “the type of music that requires you to leave your cynicism at home . . . pretty, intelligent, expressive.” Her writing came to the notice of well-known Nashville songwriting coach Jason Blume, who commented on both the quality of her songwriting and the beauty of her voice.
Jane has won the Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition in Oklahoma. She also won the South Florida Songwriting Competition, the Connecticut Environmental Songwriting Competition, and the New Jersey Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and first place in the American Songwriter Mazazine Lyric Contest.
Wes Malkin is a multi-instrumentalist on mandolin, guitar, banjo, and trumpet. Wes grew up in the Washington DC area before moving to Wisconsin where he played festivals and appeared on the Prairie Home Companion radio show with Garrison Keillor. Wes came to Florida in the early 80’s and has continued to play with bands such as Jabberwocky, Valerie C. Wisecracker and the Walking Catfish, The Hot Java Band, Amy Arlo and the Almost Blue Band, Sarah Jacobs Trio, Derelict Daughter and many others.
Meet Keysel, singer/songwriter, human connection facilitator, medicine & folk musician, visual artist, model, and poet. These are just a few of the hats he wears as an artist based in South Florida.Originally born in the seaside town of Barahona, Dominican Republic, his love of culture and art has guided him throughout the world; from the alps, to the steppe, to the south seas.You’ll find the landscape of his music just as varied as the folk influences of lands he’s walked, weaving through melody, rhythm, and sound to produce a colorful sonic tapestry that pays ode to beauty, nature, and the human condition.With a multi-instrumental tendency to lead others into the harmony of their own inner music, he is deeply influenced by a belief that everyone has a song and that music has the inexplicable power to heal the mind, body, and soul.He is guided by the lessons of his teachers, and ultimately hopes to spread compassion and joy through his art, helping individuals discover a life lived in greater authenticity, unity, and purpose.
Quinn Olson is a singer-songwriter and cellist from the suburbs of Chicago. With her parents’ encouragement, she learned to play piano and sing from a young age, eventually putting pen to paper at the age of 12 when she wrote her first song. Now at 20 years old, she is in her second year at the University of Miami studying Music Industry with a Creative American Songwriting minor. On any given day, you can find her with the orchestra or playing electric instruments in a band or writing ballads in the practice rooms. With a passion for lyricism and storytelling, she hones both her classical and contemporary skills to create original music that follows the journey of her own life and those around her.
Kiah is an Indie Pop Singer-Songwriter/Creator from Central Florida. Her songs come from her observations and curiosity about right and wrong, her relationships with people and the world as she perceives it. Her lyrics weave stories about people, as she thoughtfully explores their world with a playful eye. Her melodies defy the ordinary (verse, verse, chorus, verse) format as she crafts unconventional song structures that hold surprises for the listener, yet are sprinkled with catchy hooks. Kiah just released her debut album, “Higher Window” and is already immersed in writing it’s follow-up.
Quiana Major is a passionate and committed music professional, with the talent and drive to succeed. Growing up amongst the vibrant and diverse music scene in Miami, Fl , was an environment full of inspiration and stimulation for Quiana to feed off. She is an alternative pop rock and alt R&B artist, a black queer southern Rock N’ Roller inspired by Tracy Chapman and the Doobie Brothers. Her music is an expression of her soul and will take you on a journey of emotions.
Quiana performs with high diving anthems and intimate emotional singer songwriter ballads. With genre bending musical influences and honest life provoking lyrics she delivers once in a lifetime performances taking audiences on a journey through time and space.
