It was a little over a year ago when I first caught a live set of the Flagler College band Quarter Roy. That performance of what I could best describe at the time as “dreamy indie surf pop” gripped my attention enough that I made it a point to keep up with what they were doing from then on. Then, in April of last year, they dropped their single “Monday'' and in doing so cemented their place as a band on the rise. From that point on many of us have been “waitin’ on the weekend” with our heads on a swivel keeping an eye on where and what the band was up to next.

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Sam Shin is mostly known around town as the Cello man who gives amazing hugs. Sam is classically trained and has taken that skill and applied it to almost any genre of music. He collaborates with many different musical acts around town including Sailor Jane and the Swell Acoustics and more recently with Alex Peramas, Bret Blackshear, and Colton McKenna amongst many many others- too many to name in fact.  When the idea of STArt Now first started Sam was one of the first to volunteer his time and ideas while opening the doors to what it is really like for a gigging musician. He has always championed the mental health of artisans and is currently working with STArt Now to develop a way to keep our towns artists and musicians minds happy. Sam’s newest passionate venture is playing with Ryan Mahon at Now & Zen for Steffanie Mahon’s New Moon yoga class, but you can still catch Sam and his positive energy downtown on Saturdays from 9 pm to midnight  at Barley Republic for Sam Shin and Friends. Website photo cred

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Amy Hendrickson is a familiar name to Narrow, music fans of North Florida, and beyond. She has been a local staple in the music scene and an ambassador of the arts leading the charge with projects like the Local Honey documentary and album. This is why she was inducted into the Saint Augustine Music Hall of Fame this year as one of the youngest recipients. Amy has also spent time traveling the world with her guitar, voice and great mind for a song. Recently, she partnered up with STArt Now for her new album Grit and Gold. Through this collaboration STArt Now sponsored the release of the album both digitally and physically. With these fantastic new songs for the listeners and never ending well of talent the sky is not the limit for this Saint Augustine music queen.

Can you pick your favorite recent Amy pick please lol

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Luke Otto is a fairly new name in the St Augustine music scene, but he is making everyone a believer in his skill and passion for music. His style is unlike any other floating around our streets right now. You can hear his influences of Blues and Reggae vocally and instrumentally. He first picked up the guitar at age 12 and decided to be a professional 3 years ago.

STArt Now was more than happy to support him when we ran across him at his day job at The Amp St Augustine which goes to show his whole life is centered around his passion for music, and that is something we can get behind! He’s always picking up gigs around town but you can also catch him monthly at the Narrow Nights at the Oak Stage on Thursday nights. This month he will be playing Thursday January 9th from 9 -10 pm.

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Between 2012 and 2014, John Paul White's duo, The Civil Wars, won four Grammy Awards. While the duo has since disbanded, JPW, who currently calls Florence, Alabama home), continues to release brilliant solo music, with his latest effort being the album, “The Hurting Kind.” Released on a label, Single Lock Records, that he started with two partners (one of which is Ben Tanner from the multi-Grammy winning band Alabama Shakes), the album was inspired by artists like Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Chet Atkins, and Bill Porter.

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