Local Songwriters

After High School, Justin joined the military serving in both the Air Force and Army for a total of 12 years with deployments to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During his time in the military, he learned how to play the drums, and played in various bands to include a church band in Afghanistan. In 2011, Justin was forced to medically retire from the Military due to injuries obtained from his Military service, which eventually led to amputation of his right foot in 2016. That’s how the nickname “Peg” came about! It wasn’t until he picked up a guitar in 2018, that Justin found that purpose and peace he’d been looking so hard for. Since 2018, “Peg” has penned over 50 orignal songs that are craftly written with much intent to feel the exact pain he experienced. He has also been apart of many co-writes with incredible songwriters from all over! You can find “Peg” telling his story thru lyrics and melody anywhere from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and more.

Ben Loftin & the Family formed in the laid-back coastal town of Pensacola, Florida, where the band’s signature “white sand soul” continues to be heavily influenced by the rich musical cultures of the Gulf Coast. The group was born in 2013 when founding singer/songwriter and guitarist Ben Loftin and friends — drummer Christian Sanders, saxophonist Austin Paul Jr. and bassist Marcus Gillard — began practicing and producing original music. After refining their sound, the group began playing live shows around town, cultivating a loyal, backyard following. BL&F has since added additional instrumentation, including auxiliary percussion, brass and keyboards. Today, the ensemble produces a vibrant blend of pop, funk, soul and reggae at a range of venues across the southeastern United States.

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Jason Justice is an Alabama native with southern charm and virtue telling his story through his music. A Navy combat war veteran, Jason began fine tuning his musical ability through the guitar and harmonica once his career in the military came to a close. He quickly found deep alignment and expression through songwriting and performing and now has been playing for more than 10 years. Listen to his unique perspectives on life’s experiences delivered through his signature gritty country sound.

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David L. Chastang and his family live in Baldwin County, Alabama, along the beautiful Gulf Coast. David began singing in church at the age of five and never looked back. As a teen he competed in vocal competitions on the state and national levels for multiple years. Through these competitions he toured the state of Florida, performing in solo exhibitions.

While attending Troy University, David majored in Music Theater. He was a principal performer in the musical A Chorus Line. Other collegiate musical credits include: the semifinals of the ICCA (International Collegiate Championship of Acapella) held at Duke University, founding member of a seven-man acapella group Glasshouse, and two performances in the world-renowned Carnegie Hall. Early in his adult musical career, David moved to Atlanta, Georgia. While there he had the privilege to be the bass player for Nappy’s Joint.  This opportunity was a proving ground for his skills and profound influence on his style and craft. Following Atlanta, David returned to the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast and began building his full-time career as a performing singer-songwriter. David is one of the regularly scheduled artists at the Flora-Bama, with performances spanning the last twelve years. While maintaining his regular shows at restaurants and bars located anywhere from Biloxi, Mississippi to Destin, Florida, he has performed in many local festivals. This includes the Bayfest Music Festival held in Mobile, Alabama where he performed with Dennis “Finger Roll” Nelson and opened for Mary J. Blige.

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Dave is Pensacola born and raised. A retired locomotive engineer and somewhat motorcycle gearhead. Growing up in a family of singers, he began playing and writing in 2011 after rediscovering guitar. It’s all music. Bring it from the heart. He writes and plays whatever comes to mind. Rulebook not required! He has gospel, blues, country, and rock roots, and you just might not know what he’ll play next with a powerful voice to back up whatever he decides to do. Presently, Dave has two singles out and a third pending. Storm Comin’, the blues-rock tinged Body Language, co-written with Rusty Budde and the forthcoming Ole Saint Joe (for the late legend Joe Gilchrist) also co-written with Budde. Dave has more releases planned for this year such as Alright By Me, Back Of My Hand, Careless and others so be looking for it! Dave says “write what you write—let it fall where it falls”.

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There are no strangers here— only friends you haven’t met yet. This is Katie’s chorus, both in her song Stranger in a Strange Land and in her life.

Katie Dineen is singer-songwriter based out of Pensacola, Florida. Playing music has always been a part of Katie’s life, first learning classical piano as a child before picking up guitar and veering towards folk and indie-rock music as a teenager.

Songwriting is not only a personal endeavour for Katie but also a communal one. She founded and hosts the Pensacola Songwriter Rounds, a monthly show series in which herself and three other songwriters share their original songs to a listening room. Her intention with the show series is to help cultivate the Pensacola songwriter scene by providing a stage for songwriters to share their music, be mutually inspired, and collaborate with one another.

This One’s For You, Katie’s debut ten-track album, comes out August 2nd, 2024. A mix of full band and stripped down acoustic songs, This One’s for You is a labor of love that’s taken years to release, with songs in the album ranging in emotion and content. Invisible Strings, the first single from the album released November 2023, explores the idea of connecting to all the parts of yourself— your inner child and your inner sage— and asking yourself, “What am I dreaming of?“ All the Little Things, the second single released, was Katie’s front porch, early morning stream-of-consciousness musings on an Alice Walker quote, as well as observances of the morning. Other songs in the EP explore feelings of heartbreak, healing, falling in love, friendship, and a deep reverence for nature.

This One’s For You is gratitude disguised as an EP: a big ol’ thank you to everyone who has supported Katie on the journey of being a songwriter and a musician.

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Born and raised in North Alabama’s hit recording capital known as “the Shoals”, Zoe naturally gravitated towards the performing arts. She involved herself in show choir and musical theater at an early age. However, it wasn’t until her later teens that she discovered her passion for storytelling through songwriting. Years of composing songs of romance and heartache would later lead to the release of her 2017 EP, Ghost Stories. In the years following, Zoe would focus her efforts on touring Alabama and Tennessee. Still, she desired to publish more of her original material. In March 2024, Zoe released her first single in seven years, Truckin’, which is currently available on major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube. Nowadays, Zoe resides on the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast where she frequently entertains locals and visitors alike, and continues to explore the craft of songwriting.

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Greg Mihaly is a Pensacola Beach based singer/songwriter who fuses 80’s and 90’s
rock themes with solid songwriting to present the beloved genre of rock and roll
music in a fresh, new light. Originally from Cleveland, OH, Greg spent most of his youth in Florida’s panhandle.
Now after years of honing his skills on stages nationwide, he is excited to present his
new brand of rock as a singer/songwriter/producer.

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Danny Dennis is a 28 year old musician/songwriter born in Maryville, Tennessee, but local to Fairhope, Alabama for most of his life. Somewhere in between 90’s Grunge and modern Folk you’ll find Danny’s original songs. Overdriven, yet soothing, guitar accompanies haunting vocal melodies, while introspective and poetic storytelling combine to create a uniquely moving musical experience.