News Release #41-23
City of Fort Pierce
Friday, September 1, 2023
Contact: Kaitlyn Ballard, Marketing & Communications Manager   

772.742.9835 | kballard@cityoffortpierce.com 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Free Family-Friendly Levitt AMP Concert Series Comes to Fort Pierce

CITY OF FORT PIERCE - St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, in partnership with St. Lucie County and the City of Fort Pierce, presents the Levitt AMP Fort Pierce Music Series to Museum Pointe Park - an all-new ten free concert series with a diverse lineup of twenty top talents, from Grammy Award winner and nominees to international performers with a wide range of music genres. The series launches on Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 3, and continues for consecutive Sundays until November 5. Show time is from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Opening acts set the tone starting at 2:30 p.m. The spotlight shifts to the headliners at 5 p.m. Gate opens at 1:30 p.m.

The Levitt AMP Fort Pierce Music Series is supported, in part, by The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with communities across America to activate underused public spaces through the power of free live music, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together.

A three-year Levitt Foundation matching grant has been awarded to St. Lucie Cultural Alliance to present Levitt AMP Fort Pierce. The 2023 series is the first of three.

Levitt concert sites are community anchors where families, friends, and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together for a broad range of music genres and cultural programming. This music series will draw a diverse and engaged audience of music enthusiasts, locals, and tourists.

The highly anticipated concert series will ignite the hearts of the community. Eventgoers will enjoy the enchantment of live music at a stunning waterfront view park and arts and crafts activities at the kids’ corner, shop from local retailers and art vendors, and satisfy cravings with the delicious food truck lineup. The series will provide a family-friendly environment for all to share remarkable moments and create lasting memories with their loved ones and fellow music enthusiasts.

Museum Park is at 414 Seaway Dr, Fort Pierce, FL 34949. Free parking for eventgoers will be available across the street at Causeway Cove Marina, 601 Seaway Dr, Fort Pierce, FL 34949.

For individuals near the Downtown Fort Pierce area, free rides to the park are also available with Freebee Fort Pierce. To learn more, download the Freebee app or visit www.ridefreebee.com.

2023 series schedule and lineup:

Headliner, national recording gospel artists, and jazz saxophonist Gary Palmer will take the outdoor stage to kick off the series. Palmer’s lead single, “Land of the Sun,” has been a big hit, landing at number 65 on Groove Jazz Music’s Top 100 of 2017 and spending four consecutive weeks at number 1 on RadioWave’s Smooth Jazz Top 40.

Alongside Palmer, Will Vaughn, a lifelong musician, will open the first show. Vaughn has released four albums as an independent artist - two blues, one soul, and one jazz.

Tito Puente, Jr., son of iconic musician Tito Puente, headlines the show. Puente Jr., who has been on national networks such as NBC, ABC & BET, is determined to nurture his father Puente Sr.'s musical legacy, performing more than 300 shows over the past five years.

Opening for Tito Puente Jr. is the talented international group La Lucha. The trio was awarded Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay Jazz Ensemble” in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and featured presenters at TEDxTampa Bay (2014), TEDxUSF (2015) & TEDxDouglasville (2017).

2022 IBC finalist and powerhouse blues singer Dottie Kelly will take the spotlight as headliner. Kelly, who started singing in the church, has flourished into a national artist with a singing career spanning over 20 years.

Joey Gilmore, an American electric blues and soul blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist, opens the concert. In addition to sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in music, such as James Brown and Etta James, in 2008, Gilmore was awarded a Blewzzy Award for Best Song. In 2015, he was honored with a Latin World Talent Lifetime Achievement Award.

Headliner Beth McKee, a singer-songwriter and a dedicated community influencer, graces the stage. McKee holds a vital role within Orlando's vibrant music scene and local community. Her albums have consistently earned placements on numerous "Best of" lists. In 2019, Orlando magazine recognized her as the distinguished Orlando Sentinel Woman of the Year.

Joining Beth is opening act Sybil Cage. Cage boasts a diverse performance history, having opened for an array of powerhouse names, including John Waite and Pat Travers and shared stages with Glen David Andrews and Marc Stone. Her debut album, "RED," released in 2007, and her subsequent release, "NOLA Calling" (2009), secured a nomination for "Best Self-Produced CD" by the International Blues Competition (IBC) in Memphis.

Three-time Grammy Award nominee and Grammy Music Educator Quarter-Finalist Melton Mustafa Jr. hit the stage. As a director, Mustafa Jr. has conducted the Star-Spangled Banner for the Junior Olympics, written and directed a show for the Super Bowl entitled Global Rhythms Local Beat, and served as the Musical Director for the Show from the Porch featuring Danny Glover. He also directed the band and choreographed Master "P" and Little Romeos music video, Two Way.

BStew Quartet will open the concert and set the tone. BStew Quartet (Bashaum Stewart) is an influential South Florida pianist known as a first-call musician on the Treasure Coast. His performances offer new and familiar jazz tunes that invite listeners from all tastes and interests.

Hitting the stage as the main act is America’s Singing Cowgirl, Jessie Lynn, a multiple award-winning independent country music singer and songwriter. Lynn is a Nashville recording artist and a proud Academy of Country Music Awards, CMA, and Recording Academy member. Among her many awards, in 2019, ISSA (International Singer Songwriter Association) named her Female Vocalist of the Year.

First, The Hoochie Digs braces the stage to open the event. The duo has released a couple of albums, streaming on Spotify & YouTube, "My Baby Gone" & and "Freedom". The best way to describe The Hoochie Dig genre is folk-country.

High-energy, eclectic, and amped-up, two-time Grammy Award winner artist, producer, and songwriter Marlow Rosado headlines the show. With two Grammys and sixteen nominations, Rosado is a driving force in the Latin music industry and one of the leading components in the salsa scene.

Sharing the stage with Rosado and opening the concert is Oriente, an electric and authentic blend of Afro-Latin rhythms, soul, blues, and jazz. Oriente is melodic, colorful, and spontaneous.

The Nouveaux Honkies, a national genre-neutral duo, is the principal act. “If Johnny Cash and Freddy King had a baby, it would be the Nouveaux Honkies,” said the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. Opening for the duo is Stubborn Bastards. The band describes itself as four guys who love music, including songs from the 60's through the 90's.

Headliner Sammy Figueroa, the two-time Grammy Award nominee, has long been regarded as one of the world's great musicians. Playing with some of the world's biggest stars, such as David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, and Quincy Jones. In addition to his two Grammy Award nominations for Best Latin Jazz, Sammy has been honored with numerous awards. These include two NARAS Awards for Percussionist of the Year, two Drummie Awards for Best Hand Percussion, and the Jazz Journalists Association Award for Best Percussionist.

Opening for Figueroa is award-winning Italian singer-songwriter Chiara Izzi. In 2011, Izzi was awarded at the Montreux International Jazz Festival Vocal Competition by Quincy Jones. In April 2020, she also won one Independent Music Award for Best Jazz Song with Vocals for her composition, “Circles Of The Mind”.

Headliner Cassie Taylor is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and blues musician. Her formative years as a touring artist led her to share the stage and record with blues and rock legends, including Joe Cocker, John Oates, Gary Moore, and Keb’ Mo’. Her track “Spare Some Love” hit 1 million streams on Spotify.

Set to kick off the event is The Shawn Tarver Project. This dynamic group brings a high-octane performance that blends elements of classic guitar-driven rock, blues, and infectious funky dance music.

The impressive lineup was curated in partnership with Bluebird Productions and approved by the Levitt Foundation.

The 2023 Levitt AMP Fort Pierce concert series is sponsored by Causeway Cove Marina, Visit St. Lucie, Caborio, Sailfish Brewing Company, Remnant Construction, Bottom’s Up Beverage, Varsity Sport Shop, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, and District Planning Group.

Vendor opportunities are still available with the option to participate in all ten shows, five shows, or individual show selections.

Music lovers and community-conscious residents are encouraged to complete the volunteer form and get involved as volunteers. Another way to support this fascinating program is to make a

tax-deductible donation to St. Lucie Cultural Alliance and help make it possible for the local nonprofit that brought Levitt AMP to Fort Pierce to continue hosting similar recreational programs and improve the quality of life in St. Lucie County.

For more information about Levitt AMP Fort Pierce, please visit www.artstlucie.org/levitt.