Steve Connelly
Guitar hero, singer and songwriter Steve Connelly has long been revered as one of the top musicians and producers in Tampa Bay. His group The Headlights enjoyed a taste of national success in the mid-1980s and then toured the country and Europe as the backing band for Byrds mastermind Roger McGuinn on the comeback tour that coincided with McGuinn’s 1991 album “Back from Rio.” Since then, Connelly has played an integral role in the region’s Americana scene, both by example and as a producer operating his own Zen Recording in Pinellas Park.
“I'm truly amazed,” Connelly told me in 2007 when asked about his influence on the local Americana scene. “It sort of validates what I have been into my whole life. It wasn't some fad like disco that came and went. It was the real thing.”
While the local Americana scene continues to flourish Connelly has been with hit with hard times. The roof in his Zen Recording studio caved in, effectively putting him out of business at a time when he’s already facing serious health problems and the resulting large medical bills. Fortunately, his friends and admirers want to help.
More than $12,500 has been raised through a GoFundMe.com campaign launched in March. On Saturday, many of the best musicians in the area will take the stage at Skipper’s Smokehouse with all proceeds going to their pal. The confirmed acts are Steve Connelly & the Lesser Gods, Ronny Elliott & the Nationals, Grey Market, Mercy McCoy, Rebekah Pulley & the Reluctant Prophets, Ricky Wilcox & the Moonsnakes, Rich Whitely & Co., Offshore Riot, Sara Rose Band, Spoons & Trash, Peace of Woodstock, Jade, and Dirty Spoons & Trash.
4 p.m. Saturday; Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa; $10 minimum suggested donation; (813) 971-0666; skipperssmokehouse.com
